Column: Rescuing rhinos in South Africa

So, who is helping protect the rhinoceros?

I aimed to explore this question while I was in South Africa in June. Staying on the grounds of the Makalali Game Reserve, I learned about the various efforts Africans are taking to ensure rhinoceros are protected. The private reserve, which is the only disease-free sanctuary in South Africa, takes many precautions to ensure the animals’ safety, like electrified fences topped with barbed wire not just to keep the animals in, but mostly to keep human poachers out. Many conservations employ ex-military to serve as ground crew in order to reinforce the boundaries of property lines, which are another source of contention.

These reservations must abide by local and national laws, but are often on their own when it comes to animal protection. The African government does little to help support the missions of reserves like Makalali, forcing conservationists to pursue hypocritical solutions. Many will sell rhino horns and other in-demand animal parts in order to fund their research and conservation efforts. The very purpose that conservationists are working to prevent is exactly what provides them with the means to do their jobs.

Trophy hunting, in many ways, fuels South Africa’s economy, contributing around $341 million USD annually. While many locals try to stop the act, trophy hunting supports over 17,000 employment opportunities, leaving its locals contradicted.

Every two years, the conservation team at Makalali shaves the rhinos’ horns down to eliminate the threat of poachers. Without full horns, the rhinos are less valuable in the eyes of poachers. But there is also another motivation when cutting the horns. After being removed from the rhino, they are put into an archive, so one day, when the sale of horns is legal in South Africa, the reserve can use the funds to help protect other endangered species. Some reservations, however, are not waiting and are actively partaking in the sale of animal parts.

South Africa’s government lacks involvement in preventing poaching, in this, African animals are at risk of being hunted and their parts being illegally sold, by poachers and conservationists alike. Biology conservationist, Victor Muposhi, explains, “Trophy hunting has been a critical source of funding for that, and if it’s taken off the table, then the whole of Africa is going to suffer.”

To obtain a license to legally hunt and take home a trophy, one would need to pay 150 rand, which is around eight U.S. dollars. This makes trophy hunting dangerously accessible to African citizens and foreigners traveling with malicious intent. This creates the cycle of foreigners and locals willing to pay to obtain trophies from their hunting escapades, forcing reservations to accept the business to keep the conservation afloat. Reserves are essentially forced to help those who are committing the very crime they are trying to prevent.

While the future of endangered species like rhinos seems bleak, there are ways to help, even from the United States.

Over & Above Africa is a conservation group that advocates and saves rhinos along with many other animals from being poached every day. Over & Above Africa raises funds globally to diligently and effectively protect endangered animals. They have created subscription programs that allow donors to donate as little as $10 per month to support several different anti-poaching initiatives. Along with accomplishing many different projects, Over & Above Africa provides content from each of the projects, showing how others can make a difference in the wildlife community.