Outrage over rhino cull

2009-05-18 21:03

Johannesburg - The culling of six white rhinoceros underway at the Eastern Cape's Dwesa Nature Reserve was met with outrage on Monday.

The animals should be relocated rather than killed, said the National Council for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

The Democratic Alliance questioned the decision to commercially hunt animals which had been described as "tame as wild rhinos can be".

Two of the rhino had been shot dead so far, but one was roaming the reserve with a shot wound to the neck, NSPCA Eastern Cape national inspector Vonny Strachan said in a statement.

"We are gravely concerned about the welfare of this animal," he said.

"The NSPCA is opposed to the taking or killing of wild animals, or the infliction of any suffering upon them."

Alien to the area

He said the NSPCA was told the Eastern Cape Parks Board decided to cull the animals because they were considered alien to the area and relocation was not a viable option.

"Expert knowledge could easily have been sought for advice on capture... Non-lethal control must remain the course of action for the reserve in respect of the remaining rhino.

"Culling should always only be considered as an absolute last resort."

The Eastern Cape Parks Board could not be reached for comment late on Monday afternoon.

"The parks board has a mandate to conserve our wildlife heritage, not to condone the slaughter for profit, of these animals," DA economic affairs, environment and tourism spokesperson John Cupido said in a statement.

"Commercial hunting should, under no circumstances, be allowed to happen in our reserves," he said.

Questions for MEC

Cupido said he had tabled questions for the written reply of the Eastern Cape economic affairs, environment and tourism MEC, asking what the province's policy was on commercial hunting and hunting for profit in the province's reserves and where it was allowed to take place.

He said a "green hunt" would have been an acceptable alternative.

"This is when a hunter, tracks the animal to be 'hunted', stalks it and darts it for relocation instead of killing it.

"The tourist leaves having had the experience of a hunt in Africa, lots of trophy photographs and the rhino is safely moved elsewhere. No harm, no foul.

"This would've been a good [public relations] exercise for the province for the growing 'green tourism' market and would've showed that the [parks board] cares about the preservation of the wildlife within our reserves," he said.

- SAPA