Operation Skhumba focus on tannery and taxidermy industries

The blitz was executed amidst an increase in the number of rhinos poached in South Africa, with the figure since the beginning of this year now standing at 339 and a total of 192 individuals arrested in connection with rhino poaching. The Kruger National Park alone has lost a total of 201 rhinos to illegal killings in 2012.

Focus on amended norms and standards

The Green Scorpions conducted inspections looking at compliance with the legal requirements related to waste, pollution and biodiversity issues. Under biodiversity issues, the two main aims were to check compliance with regard to the Threatened Or Protected Species Regulations (TOPS) as well as compliance with the amended norms and standards on the marking of rhinoceros and rhinoceros horn and for the hunting of rhinoceros for trophy hunting purposes under the National Environmental Biodiversity Act.

The amended norms and standards are intended to strengthen the regulatory framework in terms of monitoring the legality of hunts and control over rhino horns. According to the amended norms and standards, rhino horns from trophy hunts are expected to be transported by a duly authorised person from the address where a hunt took place directly to a taxidermist for processing and exportation. The transportation of horns may only be authorised in terms of an individual permit granted by the issuing authority. The permit authorising the hunt and a copy of the professional hunting register must accompany all rhino products when being transported between destinations.

Most facilities not in compliance

Also, by law, when taxidermies receive rhino horns, these needs to be reported to the respective provincial conservation authorities. Taxidermies are also required to keep a register detailing the date of receipt of the rhino horns, their weight, micro-chip numbers as well as the numbers of the hunting permit, transport permit and professional hunting register.

While it was found during the operation that some of the inspected facilities were adhering to the relevant environmental legislation, most were not in compliance. The most frequent transgressions uncovered related to poor waste management processes. From a biodiversity perspective, the most frequent issues of non-compliance related to the absence of hunting registers and the absence of TOPS permits.
Members of the public are also urged to report any non-compliances that they are aware of to the environmental crimes hotline 0800 205 005.