PROPOSALS by Namibia to reduce protections for critically endangered black rhinos and near-threatened white rhinos have been rejected at the 20th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), currently underway in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
The proposals would have allowed increased trade in Namibian rhino hunting trophies and government-owned horn stockpiles, sparking widespread concern among wildlife experts over potential rises in poaching and illegal horn trafficking. Conservationists praised the decision as a critical safeguard for rhino populations, which continue to decline due to poaching across southern Africa.
Humane World for Animals highlighted Namibia’s past violations of CITES rules, including the 2024 sale of 40 rhinos to U.S. ranches, and warned that legalising commercial trade would fuel demand for rhino horn, putting all rhino populations at risk. The conference also addressed other wildlife trade issues, including proposals to expand protections for geckos, sloths, rattlesnakes, and tarantulas exploited in the pet trade.
Source: Humane World for Animals
