ZooClub participates in high-level rhino debate

	The ZooClub's Chairperson, Ofentse Litsele, was first in line to challenge the panel with his questions.
	Dehorned rhino. Horns grow back over time, with recent studies claiming that the re-growth of dehorned rhino horn appears faster than growth in non-dehorned rhinos. With the current severe poaching threat, experts recommend that rhinos should ideally be dehorned every 12-24 months in order to be an effective deterrent. (Picture © Karl Ammann)
	World-renowned wildlife journalist, Karl Ammann addresses the public during the panel discussion. Ammann devotes his life to stopping the slaughter of endangered bushmeat (Picture: Mitzi du Plessis)

The Chairperson of the National Zoological Gardens of South Africa's (NZG's) ZooClub, Ofentse Litsele (17), was invited to pose questions on behalf of the youth of South Africa at the Zoological Society of Southern Africa's public debate: Legalising the trade in rhino horn – will it stop the massacre?

The ZooClub's flagship project for 2013/14 is to help combat rhino poaching by creating awareness of the plight of the rhino.

The debate and panel discussion, which took place on 13 November 2013, was attended by Ofentse, a number of ZooClub members as well as the NZG's Manager of Conservation Education and Public Engagement in Science, Ulrich Oberprieler, Curriculum Developer, Elize de Jager and Education Officer, Parks Leshaba. It was also well attended by members of the public and representatives of leading conservation authorities, who came from as far afield as the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga to participate in the debate.

Panel of experts

The high-level panel consisted of world-renowned wildlife journalist, Karl Amman; South Africa's largest private rhino breeder, John Hume; leading South African economist Dawie Roodt; forensic expert Dr Cindy Harper; the Acting Director of Resource Africa, Julian Sturgeon; and the Chief Executive Officer of WWF South Africa, Prof. Morné du Plessis. The debate was expertly facilitated by James Steyn, a presenter on SABC 2's environmental programme, 50/50.

Ofentse was first in line to challenge the panel with his questions. This was followed by a lively – and at times quite heated - debate between panel members and the public. Lack of capacity to enforce the complicated permit system that applies to dehorning rhinos and dealing with the horns is one of the main objections that were raised by opponents of opening the trade. However, at the end of the debate, the majority of participants voted in favour of legalising the trade in rhino horn in an attempt to stop the massacre.

Karl Amman's hard-hitting and thought-provoking video on the trade of products derived from endangered animals, was shown after the debate.

By Elize de Jager, Curriculum Developer and Angeliné Schwan, Communications Officer, NZG