Namibia, Trophy Hunting for Black Rhinos in the Cards

Namibia, Trophy Hunting for Black Rhinos in the Cards

THE Ministry of Environment and Tourism is close to granting an annual black rhino trophy-hunting quota in protected areas.

No such quota has been granted since Cites gave permission for it in 2004, because Government has been working on a policy on tourism and wildlife concessions on State land, Louisa Mupetami, a conservation scientist in the Ministry, said last week.

Cabinet approved the policy last year, she said.

"The Ministry is now preparing for the allocation of concessions on State land, including for the trophy hunting of the five black rhinos," Mupetami told The Namibian.

The 13th conference of the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) held in Thailand in 2004 gave Namibia and South Africa permission to allow the hunting of five black rhinos a year.
Mupetami said Namibia's black rhino population had recovered from 90 individuals in 1967 to an estimated 1 300 individuals today.

"The Namibian black rhino population is very healthy and the biggest of the sub-species Diceros bicornis," she added.

She said only "surplus" animals will be considered for trophy hunting and preference will be given to post-reproductive males, but occasionally other males considered as problem animals would be targeted too.

The Cites decision to allow rhino hunting in Namibia and South Africa drew huge opposition from animal rights groups.

Cites lists the black rhino as a critically endangered species.

Source: AllAfrica.com

This would be a huge come back for a nearly extinct animal!! I just wish the opposition would get their facts right! harvesting a few surplus animals is what hunting is about.. & the money brought in will only help the species in the long run!! That's what they have these committees & people doing the studies for is to keep the populations healthy ... but the know it alls & do gooders never seem to believe the real experts in the field!!
Hats off to all the ranchers & people whom have brought both species of Rhino's back to decent numbers!! It shows that a few concerned people who care can make a difference even in the bleakest conditions!!

There were several on one concession I hunted last year. Amazing animals. The one I saw @ 100 meters had an astonishingly nice horn. Oh, to have an extra 100K lying around.........:cool: