Saving rhinos in South Africa amid government plans to legalise domestic rhino horn trade

Efforts to save Rhino’s in South Africa continue to gain momentum.

Conservationists say the poaching of Rhinos for their horns has led to the loss of many animals which poses a grave concern. Despite the numbers of rhinos poached in South Africa falling by 10 percent in 2016, conservationists say poaching levels remain alarming.

“If you look at the amount of rhinos left in the world, white and black, I think it’s absolutely imperative to try and rescue and treat and heal every single rhino we come across now,” said Johan Marais a veterinary doctor.

The Care for Wild Africa is an organisation that was founded 16 years ago and is arguably the biggest orphan rhino orphanage and sanctuary in the world. The organisation is calling for urgent action to save the endangered species.

“We’ve gone past the tipping point. We have to save all the orphans, every single one is gold now. White and black even more. The black rhino are really, really critically endangered, “ said Chris de Bruno Austin, Founder of Care for Wild Rhino.

South Africa is home to more than 80 percent of the world’s rhino population with about 18,000 white rhinos and close to 2,000 black rhinos.

The recent proposal by South Africa’s government to legalise and regulate domestic trade of rhinoceros horn and allow limited exports has conservationists worried.

Global trade in rhino horn is banned by a U.N. convention.