1. Perspectives on the nature of the threat in Asia
CITES Rhino Enforcement Task Force Meeting
2457 southern white rhino’s poached since 2007
12% of the global population in 7 years
This is really why we are here today – the dramatic increase in poaching of the SWRhino that until recently, were lauded as a conservation success story has brought the world’s attention back to these species.
If we give a low estimate of 4kg of horn from each individual poached – that would give a little over 9800kg of horn which based on black market prices in Asia ranging from 20,000-60,000 USD/kg could represent $ million in profit to wildlife criminals
Scott Roberton PhD
Wildlife Conservation Society

2. Three subspecies declared extinct since 2008
Five species globally
Four of which are Globally threatened species
Three subspecies declared extinct since 2008
Being driven to extinction by Asian demand for their horn
PRESTIGE – HEALTH
Its not just Swhites as you know.
4/5 are G
3 sub sp extinct since 2008

3. Vietnamese citizens are a major part of the problem
Vietnamese citizens play a significant role in the illegal trade of rhino horn from Africa into Asia:
Hunters-Transporters-Traders-Consumers
This is undeniable, based on seizures, arrests, investigations and surveys
Vietnamese citizens are a major part of the problem

4. But, any strategy must address Viet Nam and China
However, to what extent they are the main consumer market is the subject of debate
There is mounting evidence that horns entering Vn are being traded to Chinese citizens coming to VN, and also simply being re-exported.
We could spend the next few hours, days, weeks debating which market is larger, but it’s a pointless exercise to some extent and I urge you not to be distracted by that.
The bottom line is that any strategy to tackle trade and demand of rhino horn in Asia must address Vietnam AND China.

5. “Enforcement is not working”
“The reality is that we have done all in our power and doing the same thing every day isn’t working.”
“Enforcement is not working”
“Demand in Asia wont ever reduce”
…Its time to legalize the trade in Rhino horns
The reality in Asia is
enforcement is patchy
Yet to effectively target at the criminal network level
Focus on the ‘Mules’
Currently greater enforcement effort at source sites
A legal trade would not solve the issue – it risks making it worse
There are mixed views on the current state of our response
We hear from some countries XYZ
Bit I disagree with this -
Enforcement is patchy – some successes and cases with high impact
Enforcement efforts are picking off some key criminals but mostly arrests are of low-level;, easily replaceable transporters - no cases are focused at the criminal network level
I think its fair to say that there is far greater enf effort at the site level and the feeling of almost despair in the comments we hear from our African colleagues are understandable given the human death of both rangers and poachers this battle is causing. However, I think it highlights that greater effort is needed up the trade chain not only at the site level, but at the ports and urban areas where traders are located and the individuals coordinating these networks are often found. Its not one or the other – it’s a more holistic, trade chain approach that’s needed
Its naïve and oversimplifying the issue to say that a legal regulated trade will resolve this problem – that requires, even stricter enforcement to ensure a watertight system where no poached horns are entering the market…
Rather than saying it wont work a more constructive approach would be to invest in addressing the causes of its current ineffectiveness

6. Seizures of products from murdered animals celebrated as a success….
For example we must stop politics getting in the way of enforcement.
The current trend of celebrating seizures as quick as possible needs to be changed
A seizure alone has a limited deterrent effect if not accompanied by the arrest, prosecution and punishment of the individuals behind the shipment
Seizures of products from murdered animals celebrated as a success….

7. Success is when the criminals who are behind the illegal slaughter and trade of these animals are brought to justice
The celebrations should really be held when the criminal networks bringing the horns out of Africa and into Asian markets are dismantled

8. Criminal justice system not effectively addressing the criminal groups in Asia yet
Vietnam
19 rhino horn arrests
1 person jailed
Some small fines
Many cases still open
No additional arrests following interrogation
For example, in Vn, although I understand the same is true for other transit/demand states, greater focus is needed on strengthening the criminal justice system where the limited people actually being arrested are rarely facing a fine or jail term
More Vietnamese people are in jail in SA for Rhino horn than in Vietnam
There needs to be transparency and objective reporting of this sort of data to allow IOs and govts to analyse enforcement effectiveness
Moving past reporting seizures and arrests in reports to measures that inform on enf effectiveness and guide strategies and resource allocations

9. Sensitizing, informing and training prosecutors and judges is an urgent and important task
This isnt about me criticizing the VN govt - in fact we work very closely with both the CITES MA, Police and Prosecuors on the these issues and they are aware, and they are revising legislation, and developing directives to piush these cases through since this analysis came to light,
WCS has cooperated wit the VN CITES MA and the Supreme People’s Procuracy to hold
Evebnts with local prosecutors in
Chinese border provinces and major demand centres
Combining both formal classroom sessions, panel clinic sessions and field trips to National parks

10. Corruption, collusion and leniency of law enforcement officers must be fought
At three smuggling points on the VN-CH border estimated upto from 18-30k/day given in bribes to border officials
Over a half of wildlife traders interviewed in QB in a recent survey funded by KfW reported either corruption, collusion or leniancy of officials
It undermines everything we are working towards
Corruption as it relates to wildlife crimes, even transnational crimes is not being addressed in a strong manner
Its barely talked about never mind worked on at a practical level in most countries
e.g. In 2005, Georgia fired 80-90% of its traffic police force then rehired from the academy and new recruits and increase pay upto 20X
Bold top-level actions have succeeded in fighting corruption in law enforcement - maybe that’s what we need now….

11. Governments action, or inaction are important drivers to behavior
Changing behaviors takes time – it only started in 2012! - but in the main Asian consumer states, once government shows commitment, things happen faster…
There are examples from other countries where behavior change for the older generation is driven primarily by enforcement and for younger generations by knowledge/awareness
Demand reduction efforts started in VN in 2012 – give it time
Strategies must recognize that enforcement is a critical component of demand reduction

12. You need to protect at source
You need to stop demand
Governments and civil society need to stop playing the blame game, and adjust their view of the world
Criminals have long removed the administrative obstacle of international boundaries and communications systems and we must streamline and modernize ours if we are to catch up with them.

13. Criminal networks are professional, organised, cooperating internationally, innovative – Are we ?
Tackling these transnational criminal groups requires a truly transnational approach and a more holistic focus on the whole criminal network, not just the one person arrested at a port in a single country - strategies, MoUs etc need to lay out new communications mechanisms that streamline this and enable investigators to work in real-time with colleagues from origin and destination countries to connect the dots and build cases in multiple countries if necessary against transnational rhino criminal syndicates

14. Wildlife Conservation Society sroberton@wcs.org
My conclusion is that we have to start improving enforcement, being specific about what that means, monitoring these changes and tackling the hard challenges that are making it ineffective at present
In 1988, George Schaller and his team discovered a small group of Javan Rhinos in Southern Vietnam – they made a series of recommendations and an action plan to protect them.
Despite lots of well intentioned work, the actions never made it past being a good idea, and repeated a whole lot and in 2010, the last Rhino in Vietnam was shot dead, its horn hacked off.
We simply cannot let this happen to more species of Rhino.
Thankyou
Scott Roberton PhD
Wildlife Conservation Society