Progress and budget in the fight against poaching of SA’s Biodiversity Mr Ishaam Abader Deputy Director General Legal Authorisations Compliance and Enforcement

BACKGROUND Wildlife crime is a serious threat to the security, political stability, economy, natural resources and cultural heritage of many countries, including SA Rhino poaching recognised as a National Security threat Co-ordinated through the Natjoints as a Priority Crime – expanded to Wildlife Crime for purposes of operationalising the national strategy Concurrent Competence (environment and nature conservation) – national and provinces Focus currently on rhino from a poaching perspective – availability of resources

BACKGROUND The illegal killing of rhinoceros escalated in 2008 when 83 animals were illegally killed – increased to 668 killed by the end of 2012 Initially no clear indications of exact reasons for these killings, suspected to be multifaceted requiring different approaches DEA developed the National Strategy for the Safety and Security of the Rhinoceros Population and this strategy - approved by Cabinet in August 2010 August 2014 – Cabinet adopted Integrated Strategy Approach to Rhinoceros – additional measures – Management rhino populations – Compulsory Interventions – focus security/enforcement – National and International Collaborationa and Co-ordination – Long term sustainability measures

INTERVENTIONS Developments relating to the implementation of the Rhino poaching threat as well as various initiatives that have been implemented by DEA since 2009: – A moratorium on national trade in rhino horn and its products on 13 February 2009; – Interim National Wildlife Crime Reaction Unit (NWCRU) in October 2010; – Rhino Poaching pronounced a national security threat; – Permanent National Wildlife Information Management in 2012; – SA playing an active role and contribute to international meetings and forums; – Signed MOUs with identified consumer and neighbouring countries (China, Vietnam and Mozambique; – Engagement of the JCPS on the matter which resulted in convening of a special forum by the chairperson for the purposes; – Co-chairs the Priority Committee on Wildlife Crime, – Joint implementation of borders through the Joint Permanent Commission on Defence and Security – Appointment of an issue manager to facilitate stakeholder engagement on issues relating to rhino management, safety and security as well as trade;

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION Mozambique MOU signed on 17 April 2014 in Skukuza, Kruger National Park. Implementation plan in final stages, to be signed in June 2015 People’s Republic of China MOU signed in March 2013, Implementation Plan signed in March 2015 The Royal Kingdom of Cambodia An MoU finalized, will be signed on May 29, 2015 in South Africa; Thailand An MoU was drafted and presented in June 2013, not initalized due to instability within the Thai government. The draft was tabled in June 2013, but has not yet been finalised. People’s Democratic Republic of Laos The MOU was finalised in July 2013, still awaiting signature

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION Vietnam MOU signed in December 2012 Implementation plan signed in May 2013 Official visit to South Africa for a study in March Agreed actions: Continue with implementation of the MOU in order to assist each other to meet international obligations. Further interaction will be undertaken in September 2014 in Vietnam, for an assessment of the intended establishment of Protected Areas and Transfrontier Conservation Areas in Vietnam as well as assess the implementation of an awareness strategy to influence demand Conduct an awareness campaign to sensitize Vietnam Citizens, particularly young school children, on the subject of illegal trade and consumption of Rhino horn and other wildlife. Vietnam will support South Africa in any initiative aimed at promoting sustainable use of natural resources. Vietnamese youth to visit SA in June and July to be exposed to the importance of Conservation of Wildlife

BUDGET : DEA & SANPARKS - RHINO Year DEA SANPARKS TOTAL 2008/ / / /12R R R /13R R /14R R R /15R R R /16R R R /17R R R /18R R R

COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT: NATURE CONSERVATION Rangers within the parks (grade 5 Environmental Management Inspectors (EMIs)) – mandate only in the provincial park Investigators – mandate within the province (grade 1 or 2 EMIs) Standard Operating Procedure with SAPS – “pure environmental crime” Critical to engage directly from provinces/parks – understand the allocation for wildlife crime/poaching within the overall allocation

BUDGET : FREE STATE Biodiversity Enforcement Unit Operational budget – R Personnel budget – R (structure - 11 officials) Rhino guards / rangers (13) – 4 protected areas Additional 9 guards requested Adequate budget for compensation but not equipment Most rhino is on private property – private security

Personnel status - Free State Item Approved in the structure Approved and funded within budget Approved and funded but vacant Approved but unfunded Additional required – not approved EMIs x Special Investigators Rangers/Guards Challenges: Lack of information sharing and need for national information SAPS do not share information but always want information Lack of adequate Compensation budget: Not enough qualified investigators to investigate wildlife crimes and shortage of rangers Lack of Operational budget : Equipment, vehicles and fuel to travel Wildlife crime not recognised as a priority Kilometer constraints only 2000km allowed per official per month (Treasury Instruction) - including investigators

Personnel Status – Mpumalanga Item Approved in the structure Approved and funded within budget Approved and funded but vacant Approved but unfunded Additional required – not approved EMIs Enforcement and compliance 35 6 (these are all appointed as EMI’s) 4250 Conservation Rangers 29 9 (None of the Rangers are appointed EMI’s) 4160 Field Rangers (rhino reserves) TOTAL

Mpumalanga - challenges Lack of Operational budget - travelling/ equipment/ training Lack of law enforcement and special investigation staff Lack of adequate Compensation budget Lack of information sharing Enforcement & permit structure 68% vacant Inability to pay informer rewards No adequate information management system Specialised training for field ranger staff/ APU

Personnel Status – Eastern Cape Department Item Approved in the structure Approved and funded within budget Approved and funded but vacant Approved but unfunded Additional required – not approved EMIs Rangers/GuardsN/A Challenges : Lack of information sharing between different investigation agencies Lack of adequate Compensation budget Lack of Operational budget Others - Transport limitations / Informer networks and compensation

Personnel Status – Eastern Cape Parks & Tourism Agency Item Approved in the structure Approved and funded within budget Approved and funded but vacant Approved but unfunded Additional required – not approved EMIs 15 Level Level Rangers/Guards regional investigators Principal field ranger investigations Senior field rangers investigations 00004

EASTERN CAPE PARKS Anti-Poaching Unit (Rhino security & protection) DescriptionPROJECTION 2015/16 PROJECTION 2016/17 PROJECTION 2017/18 PROJECTION 2018/19 PROJECTION 2019/20 Vehicles3 x diesel Land Cruisers with canopy, snorkel for wading, railings, high lift jack, spade, panga, bull bar, tow bar, winch (removable) Motorbikes / Quad bikes4 motorbikes ; 4 quad bikes for rapid response Equipment (operational)weapons, tents, back packs, camping gear; cooking gear & utensils; etc StaffingPrincipal Field Ranger (1) Field Rangers (9) Surveillance systems (Twerlys) surveillance Baviaanskloof Remote vehicles / dronesAerial surveillance Maintenance Training & competenciesFire Arms; unarmed combat; specialised anti-poaching & tracking; EMI, etc SecuritySecurity scanning equipment Training drone operations Total Non-Infrastructure Catalytic Projects (Anti-Poaching Unit) – Request for funding submitted Total budget for 2015/16 for anti-poaching measures, security, etc: R for 21 reserves (R taken from elsewhere for two rhino reserves for equipment and security measures)

Eastern Cape Parks - challenges Lack of information sharing (SAPS, Agencies) Lack of adequate Compensation budget Lack of Operational budget (resourced anti poaching teams, equipment, vehicles, skills training) Fleet

BUDGET : CAPENATURE Budget for Biodiversity Crime Unit – 2015/2016 Total Budget: R 1,639,501.68, which includes Personnel budget: R1,491, (3 staff members) Operational budget: R148,230, which includes Transport: R90,000 (3 vehicles) Cellphones: R19,956 (3 contracts) Travel claims: R30,800 (3 staff members)

Personnel Status – CapeNature Item Approved in the structure Approved and funded within budget Approved and funded but vacant Approved but unfunded Additional required – not approved EMIs 20 Grade 2 1 Grade 3 17 trained but not designated 3900? Rangers/Guards (R2.8 M required) 0 Challenges : Lack of operational budget Low incidence of poaching leading to landowners not prioritising security CapeNature has no rhinoceros on any protected area. All rhinoceros in Western Cape occur on private property.

Personnel Status – Northern Cape Item Approved in the structure Approved and funded within budget Approved and funded but vacant Approved but unfunded Additional required – not approved EMIs8414N/A Rangers Senior Field and 2 Ranger posts Guards Challenges : Lack of adequate Compensation budget Lack of Operational budget Very poorly staffed

BUDGET : LIMPOPO Budget allocation Biodiversity EMI 2014/15 Investigations and inspections ITEMBUDGET EquipmentR TransportR S&TR OvertimeR

Personnel Status – Limpopo Item Approved in the structure Approved and funded within budget Approved and funded but vacant Approved but unfunded Additional required – not approved EMIs Rangers/Guards50 00 Challenges: Lack of information sharing Lack of adequate Compensation budget Lack of Operational budget (for vehicles, equipment, air support Lack of staff and special investigation unit Lack of equipment Shortage / lack of security on private rhino properties (major concern) EMI and SAPS not working as a team

BUDGET : KZN KwaZulu Natal: Funding received from Provincial Treasury (State Funding) Duration: Prescribed once-off grant allocations (No personnel allocations) Rhino InitiativesAmountBudget Phase Funding Receipt Date Anti-Poaching R28 millionPhase / 2013 Awareness Field Conservation Informer Network Intelligence Infrastructure Maintenance Training Awareness R19 millionPhase 2Jan 2013 Field Conservation Investigation Anti-Poaching R20 millionPhase 3Nov 2013 Field Conservation Infrastructure Maintenance

BUDGET : KZN Budget Plan 2014 – 2017 Ezemvelo Wildlife Crime Intervention Programme Year R thousand Three Year Budget Plan 2014/ / /17 Fencing Upgrade & Maintenance (Boundary Integrity - Access Control) R R Firearms & Law Enforcement Equipment R Field Operations Personal Costs R Rhino Monitoring & Crime Analysis R R Equipment (as identified by Rhino Reserves Security Assessment) R R R Project Management R Informer Network Maintenance R Law Enforcement Training and Facilitation R Stockpile Management, Micro chipping& Treatment of Live Animals R R Drones Security R R Helicopter Operations R R R Awareness R R R Corridor Security R R R APU Infrastructure - Re-establishment & Maintenance R R R Regional Joint Operations Unit R R R Reserve Supplementary Force (Accomm + resource/operation tools) R R R Total R R R

KZN Wildlife - challenges Need to develop and implement a sustainable funding model, donations and grants in erratic and dictated form assist but money could be better used. (Donor Dictates?) Improve bush tactical training Need for sustainable awareness programmes. Need for specialised and dedicated EMI detectives to focus on syndicate levels of rhino crime (vast majority of arrests are poachers entering reserves)

Challenges : No dedicated investigators allocated due to shortage of staff and rely on SAPS for assistance. No intelligence. From end May % vacancy in Special Investigations Unit. No budget allocated or to be utilised for anti-poaching

BUDGET : NORTH-WEST – BIODIVERSITY REGULATION BUDGET ALLOCATION – 2014/15 ALLOCATIONS: Compensation of employees Travel and subsistence Overtime Danger allowance Tel Total 26,814,500

BUDGET : N-W PARKS The budget is cross cutting, it covers all operations conducted by Field Rangers in general in all 15 provincial reserves, in NW ItemBudget expenses Cell phone expenses Travel costs Pool vehicle running costs Subsistence allowances Wages for Field Rangers Total

Personnel Status – North-West Parks Item Approved in the structure Approved and funded within budget Approved and funded but vacant Approved but unfunded Additional required – not approved EMIs Rangers/Guards The EMIs excludes the Field Rangers (EMI Grade 5). We have 80 EMI Grade 5 out of our existing Field Rangers

NORTH-WEST PARKS - CHALLENGES Lack of information sharing Lack of adequate Compensation budget Lack of Operational budget – need equipment Difficulties in recruiting informers (no funding for rewards) Delay on back-up from Law Enforcement Agency (SAPS) when potential threat identified

Personnel Status – North-West Item Approved in the structure Approved and funded within budget Approved and funded but vacant Approved but unfunded Additional required – not approved EMIs (enforcement) (investigate rhino related cases including combating illegal trade in other species/CITES) Compliance31 10N/A

NORTH-WEST PARKS - CHALLENGES Lack of information sharing Non-cooperation between various law enforcement agencies and lack of intelligence Lack of adequate Compensation budget / Lack of capacity Lack of Operational budget Only a few anti-poaching teams in private properties - expensive exercise Few rhino owners belong to existing associations – difficult to get cooperation from individuals farmers Some rhino owners don't trust other farmers – suspicion in leaking information

GENERIC PROVINCIAL CHALLENGES Parks boards and conservation authorities which are differently structured within provinces (eg. Gauteng vs Mpumalanga) Unit to address anti-poaching vs investigative units Necessary to compete for funding – within Province / Department (often combined with Agriculture/Economic Development/Tourism) Some provinces receive donor funding but this is not sustainable funding (equipment needs can be addressed) Significant amounts of donor funding possibilities – need to understand these and correctly allocate Funding must be applied based on priorities – focus on rhino currently

PRIORITY FOCUS AREAS Mpumalanga – although larger structures have been approved, a significant number of posts are unfunded / borders KNP / high levels of poaching Age of rangers Northern Cape – very poorly staffed / low budget Limpopo – high levels of poaching and additional capacity should be viewed as a priority Gauteng – high vacancy rate

CONCLUSION Essential to identify funding opportunities / projects – match to the specific needs (challenge – compensation budget) GEF Rhino Project – some of the equipment needs / training interventions / information sharing Joint operations/projects/whole of government approach (provjoints) – SAPS detective unit – Stock Theft and Endangered Species Latest numbers related to rhinos poached as at end of April 2015 – 393 compared to 331 at the end of April 2014 Numbers poached outside of the KNP remained the similar to 2014 figures (increase within the KNP) Increase in number of arrests compared to last year related to rhino poaching (end April 2014: 96 vs end April 2015: 132)