South Africa wants to resume rhino horn exports
1 November 18:12
The High Court of the South African province of Northern Cape has ruled that the government must review the application for the international sale of rhino horns within a week. This was reported by the local news portal News 24, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
The court reasoned that the current legislation of the country and international agreements do not contain a complete ban on this trade.
In his ruling, Judge Pule Tlaletzi noted that existing laws allow the sale of endangered species if they were bred in captivity for conservation or other activities that do not pursue commercial goals. He emphasized that this provision also applies to rhino horns.
The lawsuit was filed by the owner of the private reserve Rockwood Conservation, Wikus Diedericks, after the South African government refused to issue him a license to sell rhino horns grown on its territory. According to the publication, this court decision opens up the possibility of legal sale of rhino horns on the world market for the first time in 48 years.
In 1975, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) came into force. Two years later, a general ban on this type of activity was introduced on its basis, which was ratified by 184 countries. The South African court ruled that the farms fall under Article VII of CITES, which allows trade in endangered animals and their parts for non-commercial purposes, including supporting nature reserves. Tlaletxi said that, accordingly, rhino horns can be exported without the need to obtain an import permit from the recipient country.
