Rhino Hunting - Green or Kill

[slad68]

What is the current situation in South Africa in regards to darting Rhino? Not sure what the current legislation says… Is it possible for foreign clients to obtain a darting permit and do the darting?

See this 2010 notification from the Department of Environmental Affairs in South Africa:
- Current Situation on Darting Safaris in South Africa: http://www.africahunting.com/threads/current-situation-on-darting-safaris-in-south-africa.3427/

DRAFT LISTS OF THREATENED AND PROTECTED SPECIES ISSUED IN TERMS OF SECTION 56(1) OF THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT: BIODIVERSITY ACT, 2004

CATEGORY: Endangered Species – Indigenous species facing a high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future, although they are not a critically endangered species
Diceros bicornis Black Rhinoceros

SCHEDULE B1: Protected Species – Indigenous species of high conservation value or national importance that require national protection
Ceratotherium simum White Rhinoceros

The Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism has in terms of section 56(1) of the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, 2004 (Act No. 10 of 2004), developed lists of threatened and protected species as set out in the Schedule.

NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT: BIODIVERSITY ACT, 2004
(ACT 10 OF 2004): THREATENED OR PROTECTED SPECIES REGULATIONS
Prohibited methods of hunting
26. (1) An issuing authority considering an application for the hunting of a listed
threatened or protected species may not authorize the following methods of hunting, unless it
is for the management of damage causing animals in accordance with regulation 14:
(a) Listed threatened or protected species, may not be hunted by means of –
(i) Poison;
(ii) Traps, except as provided for in sub regulation (2);
(iii) Snares;
(iv) Dogs, except as provided for in sub regulation (3);
(v) Darting, except as provided for in sub regulation (4);
(vi) a weapon which, after it has been discharged, automatically reloads and fires
when the trigger thereof is pulled or held in a discharged position;
(vii) a weapon discharging a rim firing cartridge of .22 of an inch or smaller caliber;
(viii) shotguns, except for the hunting of birds; and
(ix) air guns;

(4) Sub regulation (1)(a)(v) and (c) does not prevent the darting of an animal by a
veterinarian or a person authorized by a veterinarian in writing and in possession of a valid
permit, whether on foot or from a motorized vehicle or aircraft, to immobilize or tranquillize
the animal for the purpose of –
(a) carrying out a disease control procedure or a scientific experiment or for management
purposes;
(b) veterinary treatment of the animal; or
(c) trans locating or transporting the animal.

Regulation 14
"damage-causing animal" " means wild vertebrate animal that, when interacting with humans or
interfering with human activities, there is substantial proof that it-
(a) causes losses to stock or to other wild specimens;
(b) causes damage to cultivated trees, crops, natural flora or other property;
(c) presents threat to human life; or
(d) is present in such numbers that agricultural grazing is materially depleted;
"darting" means to shoot a damage-causing animal with a projectile loaded with a tranquilizing, narcotic,
immobilizing, or similar agent;


I might be wrong but the way I see it and understand from my Department of Environmental Affairs, no one can legally hunt a Rhino by means of darting. To some this might not make any sense (to me as well) but that is how it is.

The long and the short is that Black as well as White Rhino are listed on TOPS making it a National protected species in South Africa and an issuing authority may not authorize the hunting of a listed threatened or protected species by means of (v) Darting, except as provided for in sub regulation (4);

Then sub regulation (4) states the following

(4) Sub regulation (1)(a)(v) and (c) does not prevent the darting of an animal by a
veterinarian or a person authorized by a veterinarian in writing and in possession of a valid
permit, whether on foot or from a motorized vehicle or aircraft, to immobilize or tranquillize
the animal for the purpose of –
(a) carrying out a disease control procedure or a scientific experiment or for management
purposes;
(b) veterinary treatment of the animal; or
(c) trans locating or transporting the animal.

So if you are not a VET or appointed by a VET you can not legally hunt a Rhino or any species listed on TOPS with a dart gun

 

[spike.t]

Bosman the way i read it is as you say, that if the permits are in place and one of the criteria is met, then the vet could give written authorisation to someone doing the darting for a green hunt. the reasons allowing for darting are what i recall reading somewhere, and i think not 100pcnt sure though, were to stop people darting rhinos as often as they wanted, when they could sell a darting hunt................

 

[slad68]

It could be so spike.t BUT if you look at regulation 4 it says

(4) Sub regulation (1)(a)(v) and (c) does not prevent the darting of an animal by a
veterinarian or a person authorized by a veterinarian in writing and in possession of a valid
permit, whether on foot or from a motorized vehicle or aircraft, to immobilize or tranquillize
the animal for the purpose of –
(a) carrying out a disease control procedure or a scientific experiment or for management
purposes;
(b) veterinary treatment of the animal; or
(c) trans locating or transporting the animal

You still can not hunt or sell a hunt, you may only dart the animal to control a disease, treat the animal or trans locate an animal.

This is a very difficult situation and if you do not read the law correct you might find yourself in a hotspot.

 

[spike.t]

yup but as i said if one of the criteria ie vet treatment or relocating etc is met, then with all the permits and written permission from the vet in place, then the operator could bring someone in to dart (hunt) the animal and charge them for it. this to me wouldnt be breaking the law. i can see where it could get a bit dodgy if the vet applied for a permit to dart for medical reasons and there werent any, who would know.........................

 

[Petrus Geldenhuys]

The way the law was written always fascinates me! Basically they say if the vet has a permit and a legitimate reason to dart the Rhino he can do so or he can give someone else written permission to do so.

veterinary treatment of the animal - So if the Rhino is Green Hunted/Darted so that the vet can give it some routine antibiotics its legitimate.

So from This law it seems that it is still 100% legal if you have the following in place
-Valid Permit
-Written permission from the Vet
-and either transport or vaccinate the animal

 

[Royal27]

sorry slightly off track, but petrus the reason i understand from talking to a friend who manages a game ranch in SA isnt that the rhino has no value, but its the cost of security to protect the rhinos now and the fear of loosing their monetary investment thats tied up in the rhino if its poached. this is why they sold some of theirs.
QUOTE]

To me this is really saying the same thing as no value. I believe that value in this case means reasonable profit margin. If sales value = $1 and cost of upkeep = $2 then profit = $1 and therefore no value.

Not many will invest large sums of money knowing they will lose it all, or make very little if everything works out perfectly...

 

[slad68]

The way the law was written always fascinates me! Basically they say if the vet has a permit and a legitimate reason to dart the Rhino he can do so or he can give someone else written permission to do so.

veterinary treatment of the animal - So if the Rhino is Green Hunted/Darted so that the vet can give it some routine antibiotics its legitimate.

So from This law it seems that it is still 100% legal if you have the following in place
-Valid Permit
-Written permission from the Vet
-and either transport or vaccinate the animal

Petrus you have a good point there, I never thought of it that way.
The best part of this LAW is that 99% of those who has to implement it has no clue as to what is written in it.

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

Thank you very much for that Bosman. One thing is for sure is that there used to be Rhino darting hunts in South Africa advertised all over the place but since the 2010 notification it is not the case any longer.

 

[Petrus Geldenhuys]

Petrus you have a good point there, I never thought of it that way.
The best part of this LAW is that 99% of those who has to implement it has no clue as to what is written in it.

I agree 100% with the implementation portion of your reply.
The only province really involved with everything you do on a hunt is Kwazulu Natal, and the ordinance is allot different down there. Almost nothing is calcified as game and you need permits for almost everything you want to hunt. But they have a no nonsense approach compared to the other provinces

 

[DUGABOY1]

I voted for the green hunt, because I simply can't afford the kill hunt, and I'm not sure I would kill one if I could afford it. The green hunts are expensive enough, and at least the animal is still alive, and while drugged it can be given inoculations and DNA samples taken. The replicas are very well done, at the least the ones I have examined were.
...........................................................

 

[enysse]

I guess I'm not interested in either option at this point. Both prices are too high to justify either option. Besides the rhino has enough problems right now.

 

[Royal27]

You know Enysse, I'm really with you. I said both, and I would do either given the right circumstances.

But, with my list of animals and the cost it is so far down the list it isn't even funny. The only way I do it in the next 20 years is if I win the lottery. And since I don't play the lottery....

 

[enysse]

Well if we get the time machine built I'd go for black rhino hunt in Kenya or any other wild place, I think in the 60's they were available for less than $1000 on license.

 

[Royal27]

Well if we get the time machine built I'd go for black rhino hunt in Kenya or any other wild place, I think in the 60's they were available for less than $1000 on license.

The gameroom I went to as a kid had a black rhino from Kenya. It was killed while charging and to my recollection dropped at like six feet from Mr. MacMillan. The distance may be from a young boy's memory, but I know the bad intentions are correct. So yeah, that would have been a heck of a hunt!

 

[enysse]

Think about hunting a herd of black rhino in thick cover, it would be pretty exciting. Dreams.....

 

[ActionBob]

I'm with you guys on this except not the lottery... That drives me nuts!

I might do a real hunt if I felt it would benifit the species or the species recovered miraculously. If I get the other 4 of the big 5 and really wanted Rhino, I might do a dart, but right now, neither.

 

[Russ Tippett]

There was a good population of white rhino on the place I hunted this year. The PH said that darting was no longer permitted. He said that it does stress the animals. I thought from the way he said it that this was law and not just his personal rule. He had no problem with us "stalking" them with a camera and we did manage to get close to this cow with her calf. The shutter click finally got her attention and when she turned I took this before I backed away. They are not normally aggressive and getting close is not a real challenge, if green stresses them then I think traditional for management is the only way to go.

 

[JTEX]

With the cost of maintaining security for the Rhinos where it is I don't think "green" hunting has much future in saving them. The cost of a "true" hunt could create the revenue it takes for their security.

 

[Russ Tippett]

With the cost of maintaining security for the Rhinos where it is I don't think "green" hunting has much future in saving them. The cost of a "true" hunt could create the revenue it takes for their security.

Absolutely! The place I took this photo lost a cow and calf to poachers. It is hard to maintain any degree of security on 20 or 30000 acres. Between knife handles and oriental medicine the prize is worth the risk for a poacher. The gentleman who has this cow doesn't think there will be rhinos in 20 years. Pretty bleak assessment.

 

[Shakey]

I support and have participated in a green hunt. I swore I never would, but after getting close to a few rhinos, I decided I wanted to give it a go. Getting close enough to put a dart in his rump is more challenging than getting within killing distance with a big bore, and it really is a neat experience to touch, take photographs with, and help the Vet administer vaccinations and draw blood samples from such a massive, unique animal. All this, followed by watching him be revived (where, in my case, he got on his feet in less than 60 seconds and was looking for soemone to stomp). In days gone by, it would have been great to hunt a black rhino as part of a multi-week safari in East Africa, but those days are gone. Private land and wildlife ownership seems to be one of the last strongholds for the rhino - white and black. I can't justify the cost of a "kill", but I can justify the cost of a "green" hunt - and the revenue from these does provide value and an incentive for property owners to maintain and protect the species.