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| Rhinoceros horn online auction: few buyers after outraged protests | Rhinoceros horn online auction: few buyers after outraged protests |
| (5 months later) | |
| Controversial three-day South African sale condemned by conservationists, but seller says it was ‘successful’ | |
| Agence France-Presse | |
| Sun 27 Aug 2017 02.24 BST | |
| Last modified on Sun 27 Aug 2017 02.47 BST | |
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| South Africa’s first online auction of rhinoceros horn – held amid outrage from conservationists – attracted fewer buyers than anticipated, lawyers for the organiser said on Saturday. | South Africa’s first online auction of rhinoceros horn – held amid outrage from conservationists – attracted fewer buyers than anticipated, lawyers for the organiser said on Saturday. |
| John Hume, owner of the world’s largest rhinoceros farm, organised the controversial three-day selloff which ended on Friday. | John Hume, owner of the world’s largest rhinoceros farm, organised the controversial three-day selloff which ended on Friday. |
| Hume “has successfully concluded the world’s first legal online auction of rhinoceros horn,” his lawyers said in a statement, but gave no details. | Hume “has successfully concluded the world’s first legal online auction of rhinoceros horn,” his lawyers said in a statement, but gave no details. |
| “The auction yielded fewer bidders and fewer sales than anticipated,” they added “but the legal domestic trade has now been re-established and the road has been paved for future sales”. | “The auction yielded fewer bidders and fewer sales than anticipated,” they added “but the legal domestic trade has now been re-established and the road has been paved for future sales”. |
| But “bidders were duly authorised to participate in the auction and were issued with legally required permits to participate,” the lawyers said. | But “bidders were duly authorised to participate in the auction and were issued with legally required permits to participate,” the lawyers said. |
| The auctioneers did not set any opening prices for bids, but all potential bidders had to pay a 100,000 rand ($7,626) registration fee to gain access to the auction. | The auctioneers did not set any opening prices for bids, but all potential bidders had to pay a 100,000 rand ($7,626) registration fee to gain access to the auction. |
| The auction was delayed for two days after a legal challenge and protests from conservation groups arguing that the sale would fuel poaching and undermine a 40-year global ban on the rhino trade. | The auction was delayed for two days after a legal challenge and protests from conservation groups arguing that the sale would fuel poaching and undermine a 40-year global ban on the rhino trade. |
| Hume, who owns 1,500 rhinos on his farm north of Johannesburg and has amassed six tonnes of rhino horn, eventually secured a permit for the auction. | Hume, who owns 1,500 rhinos on his farm north of Johannesburg and has amassed six tonnes of rhino horn, eventually secured a permit for the auction. |
| But the organisers blamed the delays for the subdued sales. | But the organisers blamed the delays for the subdued sales. |
| Hume harvests the horns by tranquilising the animals and cutting them off – a technique he says is humane and wards off poachers. | Hume harvests the horns by tranquilising the animals and cutting them off – a technique he says is humane and wards off poachers. |
| Hume organised the sale to dispose of 264 pieces of horns weighing a total of 500kg (1,100 pounds). He is planning an offline auction next month. | Hume organised the sale to dispose of 264 pieces of horns weighing a total of 500kg (1,100 pounds). He is planning an offline auction next month. |
| The government has not publicly commented on the auction, which came after South Africa’s top court lifted an eight-year moratorium on the domestic trade of rhino horns in April. | The government has not publicly commented on the auction, which came after South Africa’s top court lifted an eight-year moratorium on the domestic trade of rhino horns in April. |
| South Africa is home to around 20,000 rhinos, about 80% of the worldwide population, but the country has suffered record slaughter by poachers in recent years. | South Africa is home to around 20,000 rhinos, about 80% of the worldwide population, but the country has suffered record slaughter by poachers in recent years. |
| Poachers have killed more than 7,100 rhinos in Africa over the past decade. | Poachers have killed more than 7,100 rhinos in Africa over the past decade. |
| Rhino horns are highly prized in Asia, where they were previously estimated to fetch up to $60,000 (50,000 euros) per kilo on the black market. But expert researchers say the going black market rate for the horn in Vietnam is around $24,000 a kilo. | Rhino horns are highly prized in Asia, where they were previously estimated to fetch up to $60,000 (50,000 euros) per kilo on the black market. But expert researchers say the going black market rate for the horn in Vietnam is around $24,000 a kilo. |
| South Africa | |
| Conservation | |
| Animals | |
| Animal welfare | |
| Africa | |
| news | |
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