Critics of trade say exports would be hard to monitor and would spur poaching

A rhino breeder in South Africa is planning an online auction of rhino horn, capitalising on a court ruling that opened the way to domestic trade despite an international ban that was imposed to curb widespread poaching.

The online sale of rhino horn belonging to breeder John Hume will happen Aug. 21-24 and revenue will be used to “further fund the breeding and protection of rhinos,” according to an auction website . Van’s, a Pretoria-based auction house, is overseeing the sale and a “physical” auction will occur on Sept. 19, it said.

Rhino breeders believe poaching would be undercut by a regulated trade in rhino horn, though critics say trade will spur poaching that has occurred at record levels in the past decade. Poachers killed 1,054 rhinos in South Africa last year, a 10% drop from 2015, according to the government.

‘Safely trimmed’

“Each rhino’s horn is safely and regularly trimmed by a veterinarian and capture team to prevent poachers from harming them,” it said, adding that Mr. Hume has a stockpile of more than 6 tons of rhino horn.

This year, South Africa’s Constitutional Court rejected a government appeal to preserve a 2009 ban on the domestic trade, which was imposed as rhino poaching accelerated in response to growing demand for horns in parts of Asia, especially Vietnam. An international ban has been in place since 1977.

Responding to setbacks in the courts, the South African government has drawn up draft regulations for a domestic trade and limited export of rhino horns. Those guidelines would allow a foreigner with permits to export “for personal purposes” a maximum of two rhino horns.

Opponents of a legal trade argue that any exported horns would be hard to monitor and likely would end up on the commercial market, defying global agreements to protect threatened rhino populations. They say legalisation will spur poaching as illegally obtained horns are laundered into the legal market, similar to the exploitation of elephant ivory.

Some consumers of rhino horn believe it can cure illnesses if ingested in powder form, although there is no evidence that the horn, made of the same substance as human fingernails, has any medicinal value.

Rhino horn is also seen by some buyers as a symbol of status and wealth.