Submission To High Level Panel Report On The Management, Breeding, Hunting, Trade And Handling Of Elephant, Rhino, Leopard And Rhinoceros

On Sunday, the 2nd of May 2021, the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Ms Barbara Creecy, released a much-anticipated report – the High-Level Panel Report on the Management, Breeding, Hunting, Trade and Handling of Elephant, Rhino, Leopard and Rhinoceros (HLP Report for short).

The report has been compiled by a panel appointed by the Minister in response to public concerns regarding the conservation and sustainable use of these iconic African species. They looked at all the relevant policies, legislation and practices in the wildlife industry and at issues such as trade in rhino horns and lion bones, elephant culling debate and hunting of captive-bred lions. The end result was a comprehensive report with 18 goals and 60 recommendations. Some of which are listed below:

• Simplifying and increasing effectiveness of legislation and administrative processes, and improving cooperative governance.
• Focussing on communities living with wildlife and their co-existence by acknowledging community stewardship of conservation.
• Becoming the leading country in elephant and rhino conservation.
• For rhinos: to provide support to and partner with independent rhino owners in their fight to keep the animals safe, and to not advocate for the trade in rhino horns for the time being.
• For elephants: to step back and not advocate or make proposals to CITES for trade in ivory stockpiles for the time being.
• For lion: to put an end to lions in captivity, thereby stopping activities such as hunting of captive-bred lions and trade in lion bones.

It is a very good first step towards a more informed and modern wildlife management taking into account ethical and scientific developments and findings. However, ERP thinks it can be even better. This is why we have filed a submission focussed on the plight of captive elephants exploited in zoos and in human interactions for entertainment.