South
Africa announced its opposition to a total ban on rhino trophy exports, saying
it has beefed up hunt rules amid a poaching crisis that has killed 96 animals
this year.
The
government backed a recommendation by the UN wildlife trade regulator CITES
secretariat that a proposal halting trade in rhino trophies and products be
rejected at an upcoming meeting.
"We
also welcome CITES? acknowledgement of the recent significant steps taken to
improve the management of rhino hunting," said environment minister Edna
Molewa in a statement.
Kenya
has proposed that a zero export quota be put in place in Swaziland and South
Africa, which has the world's biggest white rhino population and allows legal
hunts.
It
is one of dozens of proposals on the global wildlife trade that will be voted
on at next month's meeting of the 176-member country body in Bangkok.
The
CITES secretariat said that South Africa had taken "significant steps to
improve its management of rhino hunting".
Rather
than trophy hunting having a negative impact on white rhino population, it said
"available information suggests the contrary".
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