HÀ NỘI — Humane Society International - Việt Nam (HSI - Việt Nam) is calling on the South African government to honour its commitment to protect rhinos by refusing permits for an auction of rhinoceros horns. The online auction is targeting buyers from the world’s two largest destinations for trafficked rhino horn — China and Việt Nam. The South African government estimates that a rhino is killed for its horn approximately every eight hours in South Africa, largely to satisfy the black market demand in Việt Nam and China. The horns to be auctioned are "trimmed" from Hume’s 1,500 farmed rhinos, and purportedly aimed at the domestic rhino horn trade, which is now legal following a ruling in April by South Africa’s constitutional court, lifting a 2009 ban. Thẩm Thị Hồng Phượng, executive director of HSI - Việt Nam, said “Amidst an ongoing rhinoceros poaching crisis, HSI and the Government of Việt Nam have been co-operating successfully to reduce the demand for rhino horns within Việt Nam.

Source: Viet Nam News August 09, 2017 09:56 UTC