rhino summit key actions emanating from discussions on 22 may 2013

More documents

Recommendations

Info

WEAKNESSES: It was questioned as to why current strategies were failing. A survey conducted by one of the conservation agencies highlighted that community members knew about poaching and the people involved in these crimes. The survey further revealed that people were not educated sufficiently to know the link between humans and animals; it was observed that money and greed was a <strong>key</strong> driving force for their involvement in the crime of poaching, the bottom line being poverty. Additional contributors to the failure of <strong>rhino</strong> poaching strategies in KZN include the following: Contributing to lack of ownership, communities are looking at reserves as for other people and not for them. Community involvement is currently poor. Main problem is poverty around the reserves. Even our own field rangers end up collaborating with poachers - collusion. People that are involved in poaching come <strong>from</strong> the community. The community is aware of who the poachers are. There is a loss of neighbourly networks. The culture of society has changed and Ubuntu is finished. Sophisticated poachers have entered the composition of poachers. Their technology is advanced. Sensitising the community in terms of awareness about conservation issues and educating them sits at a low level. People are easily mis-led into believing lies and myths in return for financial rewards that are not worth the price of a <strong>rhino</strong>. Education imperative; people do not know the basics such as what a <strong>rhino</strong> looks like and the difference in <strong>rhino</strong> features. Poor relationship between the community and reserve management due to factors such as problem animals. This makes reporting any suspicions, hard for the community. RECOMMENDATIONS: The solutions recommended yesterday are community based and require support <strong>from</strong> the government: No. Area Community Based Solutions Government 1. Ownership The community needs to acknowledge its resources and assume ownership of natural resources of its heritage. The focus is on protecting its own property and this new culture needs to be cultivated in this regard. Co-management needs to happen. The requirements of comanagement agreement need to be fulfilled (i.e. full access to information; non-discriminatory social environment; confidence in sharing of agreements; and sharing of resources).
2. Intelligence The community must serve as a new breed of rangers in being the first line of defence in <strong>rhino</strong> poaching as a strategy. Community is to provide extra help in the form of being the main eyes and ears for the strategies to be effective. This leads to the creation of effective leaders <strong>from</strong> community and high community involvement. Impimpi’s need to be reinforced and can be used to source information timeously e.g. information about a people that are in the community but do not belong to the community. Actions can be put in place to tackle the intruder. Community relationship with Ambassadors should be heightened and strengthened. Lessons <strong>from</strong> the past must be learnt 3. Awareness and Education 4. Community Development Amakhosi need to be leaders in teaching the communities. Responsible hunting for livelihood and not profit making should be promoted. Communities must cascade the knowledge on <strong>rhino</strong>’s conservation management to their children. Communities are to create ongoing awareness during community events such as Amakhosi’s hosting Imbizo’s; awareness and education should take place at community gatherings; the rate of meetings should increase with <strong>rhino</strong> poaching on the agenda. Strengthening of Local Structures, as there is a need to start introducing the issues of <strong>rhino</strong> poaching and illegal harvesting. The community must know the value of a live <strong>rhino</strong> (R1,6 million). Scientific training is required instead of management training. In Co-management agreements, the community should be a beneficiary <strong>from</strong> community conservation. An increase in tourism must mean benefit for the communities. Formal structures in place to off-take animals must be understood and used by the community. Intelligence gatherers can be analysed and used in future strategies. Community informers need to have confidential relations with conservation agencies or the police. Government should organise access for the community into the reserves. Conservation Agencies must contribute to the awareness and education of communities especially the importance of saving the <strong>rhino</strong>’s. Training and Development programme is required to develop conservation related skills for the community such as in the form of bursaries. In turn, the Leadership also need awareness <strong>from</strong> the community: People championing anti-<strong>rhino</strong> campaigns do not understand needs of the community and need to be educated on this. Economic development projects should be implemented to meet the needs of the community which is said to be poor e.g. dealing with the crisis of unemployment through increased job creation with increased benefits. Tourism benefits <strong>from</strong> the Reserve should have a positive implication for the community. Contribute to livelihoods and make it evident e.g. Youth should be provided with uniform and stationery. Contribute to dealing with community poverty and basic needs such as water and electricity.
Page 1: RHINO SUMMIT KEY ACTIONS EMANATING
Page 5: QUESTIONS 1. How do we deal with th

rhino summit key actions emanating from discussions on 22 may 2013

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?