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The Department of Environmental Affairs is calling on stakeholders to register to participate in the process of the Panel of Experts investigating the feasibility of legalising the trade in rhino horn.
Department spokesperson, Albi Modise, says they've been authorised by Cabinet to explore the feasibility of South Africa tabling a proposal for the legalisation of commercial international trade in rhino horn at a CITES conference in 2016.
The call by the Minister comes as the number of rhinos poached since the beginning of the year climbed to 496, with ten rhinos poached in the Eastern Cape.
Kruger National Park continues bear the brunt with 321 rhinos poached so far this year.
Modise says the Panel of Experts was established to assist the Inter-Ministerial Committee appointed by Cabinet.
Key areas of work to be undertaken by the Panel include:
" Analysis of the current rhino situation and interventions to address illegal killing of rhino and illegal trade in rhino horn, with a focus on government initiatives;
" Identification of new or additional interventions required to create an enabling environment for the sustainable utilization of natural resources and to strengthen the integrated approach of the government in addressing illegal killing and illegal trade;
" The socio-economic impact of wildlife trafficking (illegal killing and illegal trade) for communities, game farms and private game reserves, conservation authorities and species conservation, and options relating to the establishment of alternative economies;
" Special focus on community involvement and participation, especially the communities neighbouring protected areas with rhinos
" The potential impact of various interventions and management scenarios on the conservation of the species, including range expansion;
" Improve understanding of demand and supply; the anticipated changes if trade is introduced; and the mechanisms to respond to that change;
" Potential models/mechanisms for trade (strictly controlled trade, i.e. once-off sale of stockpiles; government to government trade or more open regulated trade; sources of specimens and specimens to be traded; the benefits and risks associated with the different options; regulatory and control mechanisms; traceability; enforcement measures and financial mechanisms to be considered);
" The implications and risks for enforcement and security matters and mechanisms to mitigate (dynamics of wildlife crime and the key issues to be considered in terms of addressing current enforcement challenges and anticipated enforcement challenges);
" Implications of the decisions relating to trade for other rhino range States as well as implications for consumer States
