It's a sad but predictable situation in Zimbabwe. With all other resources wiped out and whatever mining is left given to China (in return for weapons), poaching is what happens. The national parks had been victims of poaching for years but with the rhino the numbers make it very serious. There are too few left in the country and what is there is being killed for their tusk and sold often to their trade partner, China. China should have noted that there are no rhino left in their region so maybe that says something about over-killing. (Hat tip to Cat.)
Since last year economic collapse and the breakdown of law and order have contributed to a rapid escalation in poaching by organised gangs. "In the past 15 months we've lost 120 rhinos, and we're still losing two to four per month," Rodrigues said. "We used to have 1,000 in this country."
The exact size of Zimbabwe's current rhino population is debated. Save the Rhino, a British-based charity, puts the total at above 700. Rodrigues says it is about 400. Both agree the situation represents a crisis.
Rodrigues said that Zimbabwe's trade links with China, where the rhino horn is highly prized as medicinal, are a driving factor. "We're now down to about 400 rhinos, black and white, since the opening of the Chinese market. Normally the first thing the Chinese ask when they come here is, 'Have you got rhino? Have you got rhino?'"
He added: "It's all linked to the top. All those corrupt ministers are trying to cream off as much as possible before the next election. But if the carnage continues over the next two years we'll have nothing left. The devastation taking place is not sustainable."
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