Stop The Slaughter – Close Down Domestic Rhino Horn Markets

Excellent evidence (science) gathered by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA):

“Stop The Slaughter – Close Down Domestic Rhino Horn Markets,” EIA, August 2019

This EIA report’s recommendations include urging:

“Parties [to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES)] to close all existing domestic markets for trade in raw and worked rhinoceros horn or other rhinoceros parts and derivatives as a matter of urgency.”

However, while the proposal to the recent CITES, Conference of the Parties (CoP18), made by Kenya to insert recommendations to close domestic markets into the CITES Resolution on rhinos was not adopted, Parties agreed by consensus on a Decision (Decision 18.116 – “Parties are urged to close those markets that contribute to poaching or illegal trade“) directing Parties to close domestic rhino horn markets that contribute to poaching or illegal trade (ie. South Africa needs to close its domestic market for rhino horn and end disingenuous, speculative endeavours that seek to circumvent the 1977 ban on international trade in rhino horn).