Can Australia save Africa’s rhinos?

Tuesday, 04 Mar, 2014 0

South African rhinos could be moved to Australia in a bid to save them from poaching.

Guardian Australia says the founders of the Australian Rhino Project, Ray Dearlove and Allan Davies, are in discussions with Sydney’s Taronga Zoo to support the desperate fight to save the species from extinction.

Last year, a record 1,004 rhinos were illegally killed in South Africa, up from 668 the year before.

Most of this poaching takes place in the Kruger National Park, with rhino horn now worth about US$20,000 a kilo.

Taronga Zoo operates a Sydney-based site as well as Taronga Western Plains Zoo near Dubbo, which already houses a small
population of black and white rhinos.

Taronga Zoo last year contributed to the completion of a feasibility study about the concept and viability of importing rhinoceros to boost existing breeding programmes in Australia to assist in securing a future for the species," a zoo spokesman said.

The demand for rhino horn, especially in Asia, has increased significantly. In fact, conservationists predict that soon rhino deaths will outweigh births, likely resulting in their extinction.



 

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Ian Jarrett



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