The Tipping Point

　　The worst year on record for rhino poaching in South Africa’s history makes 2013 a dismal period for theendangered animal. Figures released by the South AfricanDepartment of Environmental Affairs in January show thatin 2013， just over 1，000 rhinos were illegally killed in SouthAfrica - the equivalent of nearly three animals a day.

　　The figure is more than 1.5 times the official figure of668 rhinos killed for their horns in 2012. This brings SouthAfrica’s white rhino population ever closer to the tippingpoint， where deaths outnumber births and the populationbegins a serious decline.

　　Rhino horns are smuggled by organized transnationalcriminal networks to the main consumer markets in VietNam and Japan， where they are primarily used as a statussymbol and health tonic. There is evidence of links betweenthe criminal gangs masterminding the trafficking and otherforms of organized crime， including the trafficking of people，drugs and weapons.

　　Mozambique， which neighbors South Africa， is widelyseen as both a transit point for rhino horn smuggling activitiesand an operational base for poachers who cross theborder to kill rhinos.

　　Tom Milliken， TRAFFIC’s rhino expert， said South Africaand Mozambique must decisively step up their game ifthey hope to stop this blatant robbery of Southern Africa’snatural heritage.

　　“2014 must mark the turning point where the world collectivelysays ’enough is enough’ and brings these criminalnetworks down. Rhino horn trafficking and consumptionare not simply environmental issues， they represent threatsto the very fabric of society，” Milliken said.

　　In March 2013， parties meeting at the Convention onInternational Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora andFauna (CITES) singled out certain countries heavily implicatedin rhino trade crime to take action toward addressingthe ongoing crisis.

　　The Vietnamese Government must report back to CITESon their progress in making seizures， arrests， prosecutionsand convictions for rhino horn trafficking and use offenses，as well as implementation of a robust tracking system forpreventing imported rhino horn trophies from going into illegaltrade. The country has also been instructed to developand implement measures to reduce demand for rhino horn.Similarly， Mozambique， a transit point for horn exitingAfrica， must show its enactment and implementation oflegislation with deterrent penalties to combat wildlife crimeand stop the killing of rhinos and trafficking of rhino horn.Currently the crime of rhino poaching in Mozambiqueremains only a misdemeanor.

　　To tackle wildlife trafficking between the two nations，South Africa and Viet Nam signed a Memorandum ofUnderstanding (MoU) in late December 2012， and later thecountries went on to develop a joint Rhino Action Plan.South Africa signed a similar MoU with China in 2013 and iscurrently developing others with Thailand， Laos， Cambodiaand Chinese Hong Kong.

　　“The world’s rhinos are facing a genuine crisis andhigh level agreements and statements have to translateinto meaningful conservation action， both in rhino rangestates and in key consumer countries such as Viet Namand China，” said Dr. Naomi Doak， Coordinator of TRAFFIC’sGreater Mekong Program in Viet Nam.

　　Doak said TRAFFIC is still waiting for the rhetoric to resultin significant arrests and prosecutions of those orchestratingthe rhino horn trafficking.

　　“We also urgently need to see a reduction in demandfor horn in Viet Nam， the introduction of a system for tracinghunting trophies in the country， and strong sentencesimposed on those convicted of rhino horn trafficking，” Doaksaid.

　　At this year’s London Conference on Illegal WildlifeTrade， commitments were sought from key governmentsto combat the growing global threat posed by illegal wildlifetrade. The conference issued a declaration of political commitmentto ensure a coordinated global response as well asnecessary resources to turn the tide on illegal wildlife tradethrough improving law enforcement and the role of thecriminal justice system， reducing demand for illegal wildlifeproducts and supporting the development of sustainablealternative livelihoods.