The South Africa – Viet Nam Rhino Horn Trade Nexus (PDF ... - WWF

SiTuATion AT THE SouRCE: SouTH AfRiCA
Regrettably, the scale of “pseudo-hunting” problems grew significantly from 2005 through 2007 as
more private sector operators seemingly embraced the Vietnamese market. Only following intensified
enforcement action in a number of provinces, recommendations from TRAFFIC and others for stricter
measures, including closer scrutiny and monitoring of trophy hunting and professional hunters
(Milledge, 2007a,b), and growing oversight pressure within the CITES arena did government authorities
in South Africa move to strengthen regulatory controls. Recognizing the threat posed to the sport hunting
industry by Vietnamese who were neither experienced hunters nor interested in proper trophy
preparation prior to export ultimately led to a series of legal requirements being imposed upon the
hunting industry.
One of the underlying problematic issues associated with many of these hunts was the fact that, prior
to the introduction of the TOPS regulations, White Rhino could be hunted with “standing permits” on
certain properties in Limpopo province, for instance, unbeknown to local conservation authorities.
Without knowing whether a bona fide hunt had actually taken place or not, it was possible for provincial
authorities vetting CITES export permit applications to issue documentation to allow both legal
and illegal rhino horns to move out of the country unimpeded. While there has been a progressive
tightening up of sport hunting regulations in South Africa since 2007, this major loophole was only
abolished in August 2008 (Milliken et al., 2009b). In July 2009, new standards limited individual hunters
to one White Rhino hunt per year and required national approval before provincial hunting licences
can be issued (Milliken et al., 2009b). These steps were all designed to close avenues of abuse and
reduce the sport hunting of rhinos to previous levels, but are believed by some to have contributed to
an increase in poaching on both State and private land.
The entry of Vietnamese hunters into the market since 2003 produced a profound effect upon the South
African hunting industry. These hunters have mostly been Vietnamese but, since 2007, hunters from
China have also acquired and exported 20 rhino trophies, only three of which have been subsequently
reported as imports in the corresponding Chinese CITES import data. Further, although not apparent in
the CITES trade data for South Africa, provincial hunting records indicate that at least one Cambodian
national also conducted rhino hunts in South Africa in recent years, but did not ever subsequently obtain
CITES permits for the legal export of the trophies to Cambodia. This general pattern of not surrendering
CITES documents for rhino horn trophies at the time of importation, or conducting rhino hunts but not
acquiring CITES export permits, reflects the same modus operandi evident in examination of Viet Nam’s
CITES import data previously discussed. The fact that other Asian nationals are now seemingly engaged
in similar conduct raises concerns that these trophies are also in reality destined for commercial trade
purposes. Ultimately, it is not known whether the rhino hunts conducted by the Chinese and
Cambodian nationals were independently motivated, or whether they were linked to the broader
Vietnamese rhino horn trade operation in South Africa. At the very least, these cases are perhaps indicative
of an expanding problem.
Only when the amended Norms and Standards came into effect in April 2012 were hunters from Asia
effectively blocked from attempting to access rhino horn via “pseudo-hunting” of White Rhinos in South
Africa. In practice, this was achieved through interventions by DEA at a national level. On 7 March 2012,
an urgent application to the Courts was launched against the Limpopo MEC: Economic Development,
Environment and Tourism and the Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs by Jan Walters Slippers, a
private hunting operator. The appeal was launched in response to the DEA advising provincial authorities
not to issue hunting permits to Vietnamese citizens due to various concerns regarding illegal hunting
practices. In this case, Slippers had applied for hunting permits for five Vietnamese citizens and, although
they were initially authorized at the provincial level, the DEA moved to overturn this decision. At the
hearing, the Court ordered the MEC to issue the permits, subject to the condition that the Vietnamese
hunters submit themselves for interviews with relevant government officials for the purposes of verifying
their personal details, backgrounds, financial capabilities and other related information as per the amended
Norms and Standards for sport hunting of White Rhinos. Necessary arrangements were then made for
the hunters to attend the court hearings, but on the day of the interviews, the hunters were not yet in the
country. It was later ascertained by the government that there were legitimate grounds for denying the
permits. Based upon these concerns, the Court ordered that the permits not be issued and that the costs
of the deliberations be charged to the applicant.
56 ThE SouTh AFRICA – VIET NAM RhINo hoRN TRADE NExuS
White or “square-lipped” Rhinos.
Karl ammann