1. The impact of increasing resources in the fight against poaching of South Africa’s biodiversity SELECT COMMITTEE ON LAND AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS 7 May 2013

2. Rhino – Poaching statistics, arrests Cycads – declines due to illegal harvesting Responses to threats National Wildlife Information Management Unit Conservation management interventions Capacity constraints – Provincial conservation authorities OUTLINE 2

3. RHINO POACHING STATISTICS 20082009201020112012 2013 (2 April 2013) Total KNP (SANParks) 3650146252 425 145 1136 MNP (SANParks) 0006 3 0 9 GP 07159 1 0 32 LIM 23165274 59 13 237 MP 261731 28 10 99 NW 7105721 77 18 192 EC 13411 7 0 26 FS 0234 0 0 9 KZN 14283834 66 17 228 WC 0006 2 0 8 NC 0010 0 0 1 TOTAL 83122333448 668 2031977 3

4. ARRESTS (2010 – 2013) South Africa - Arrests 2013 (30 April 2013) 201220112010 KNP (KNP)41558267 MNP0000 Gauteng (GP)3261610 Mpumalanga (MP)1587316 Eastern Cape (EC)0027 Limpopo (LP)17393436 North West (NW)824212 Free State (FS)0600 KZN (KZN)1315425 Western Cape (WC)0002 Northern Cape (NC)0100 Total83224232165 4

5. Hypothesis regarding decline in species 1.Plants are being removed for medicinal purposes 2.Plants are illegally harvested from the wild and then traded internationally and locally 3.Plants are illegally collected from the wild and then incorporated into collections as parental stock so that the progeny can be traded as artificially propagated CYCADS 5

6. CYCADS MONITORING & SURVEY DATA Information extracted from Scientific Authority presentation 6

7. CYCADS TRADE AS CAUSE OF DECLINE Information extracted from Scientific Authority presentation 7

8. RESPONSE TO THREATS: RHINO Continued implementation of The National Strategy for the Safety and Security of Rhinoceros Populations in South Africa Review of National Strategy for Safety and Security of Rhinoceros Populations in South Africa to address emerging issues Continued bilateral engagements with neighbouring, transit & consumer states Permanent and consistent representation within the NATJOINTS to interface with all relevant national programmes and special projects Inclusion of monitoring / patrolling on private land in Rural Safety Plan 8

9. RESPONSE TO THREATS: RHINO Establishment of a detector dog unit within DEA in collaboration with National Border Management Coordination Centre MoUs to be initiated with law enforcement agencies, and customs to facilitate sharing of information MoU with Vietnam signed in December 2012 – implementation plan prepared MoU with Thailand to be initiated MoU with China on biodiversity related matters signed MoU with Kenya to be finalised Engagements with Mozambique and Zimbabwe relating to TFCA Bilateral with Mozambique 9

10. NATIONAL WILDLIFE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT UNIT Strategic objectives: Establishment of the National Wildlife Information Management Unit; To support the Law Enforcement Agencies on collection, investigation and analysis of information to enhance case management and increase convictions; Implement and review the National Strategy on the Safety and Security of the Rhinoceros population in South Africa;

11. RESPONSE TO THREATS: CYCADS Prohibition on restricted activities involving wild specimens of threatened or protected species, unless for conservation or enforcement purposes Prohibition on export of large specimens of threatened or protected species Proposed prohibition on selling and buying of large artificially propagated specimens of critically endangered and endangered species Cycad strategy to be developed in 2013/14 – process initiated Provincial conservation authorities requested to monitor vulnerable populations and to mark specimens Provincial conservation authorities trained – identification and micro-chipping 11

12. CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT INTERVENTIONS Black rhinoceros Biodiversity Management Plan (BMP) published for implementation White rhino BMP initiated Establishment of a Rhino Sanctuary Albany cycad (Encephalartos latifrons) BMP published for implementation 12

13. STATE OF PROVINCES REPORT - Capacity PROVINCES PERMIT OFFICE ENFORCEMENT SCIENTIFIC SERVICES Eastern Cape 13% vacancies 13 Filled posts 2 Vacant funded posts 7 contract permit officers 35.5% vacancies 29 Filled posts 16 Vacant unfunded posts No Scientific Services Unit Gauteng13% vacancies 13 Filled posts 2 Vacant funded posts 28% vacancies 10 Filled posts 4 Vacant funded posts 3 Filled posts 13

14. STATE OF PROVINCES REPORT - Capacity PROVINCES PERMIT OFFICE ENFORCEMENT SCIENTIFIC SERVICES Mpumalanga 63% vacancies 4 Filled posts 7 Vacant unfunded posts 68% vacancies 28 Filled posts 57 Vacant funded posts 3 Vacant unfunded posts 63% vacancies 21 Filled posts 37 Vacant unfunded posts Free State 3 Filled posts No vacant posts 7% vacancies 13 Filled posts 1 Vacant funded post 55% vacancies 8 Filled posts 10 Vacant unfunded posts KZN 3 Filled posts No vacant posts 18% vacancies 845 Filled posts (including game rangers) 176 Vacant posts 34% vacancies 58 Filled posts 29 Vacant posts 14

15. STATE OF PROVINCES REPORT - Capacity PROVINCES PERMIT OFFICE ENFORCEMENT SCIENTIFIC SERVICES Northern Cape 57% vacancies 6 Filled posts 1 Vacant funded post 7 Vacant unfunded posts 66% vacancies 3 Filled posts 6 Vacant unfunded posts 80% 5 Filled posts 20 Vacant unfunded posts 1 Vacant funded post Western Cape6 Filled posts 11% vacancies 24 Filled posts 3 Vacant unfunded posts 7 Filled posts 15

16. STATE OF PROVINCES REPORT - Capacity Provinces Permit Office Enforcement Scientific Services Limpopo 39% vacancies 71 Filled posts 47 Vacant unfunded posts 62% vacancies 15 Filled posts 25 Vacant unfunded posts 64% vacancies 10 Filled posts 18 Vacant unfunded posts North West17% vacancies 5 Filled posts (permit officers) 1 Vacant funded post 50% vacancies 13 Filled posts 13 Vacant funded posts 8% vacancies 11 Filled posts 1 Vacant funded posts 16

17. STATE OF PROVINCES REPORT – Financial resources CURRENT OPERATIONAL BUDGET FOR RHINO RELATED ACTIVITIES Provinces Permitting Enforcement Scientific Services Eastern CapeR50 000R250 000R0 GautengR 182 000R 250 000R 100 000 Mpumalanga No operational budget Free StateR 2,893 million (includes Compensation of Employees) R7,448 million (includes Compensation of Employees) R 6,366 million (includes Compensation of Employees) 17

18. STATE OF PROVINCES REPORT – Financial resources CURRENT OPERATIONAL BUDGET FOR RHINO RELATED ACTIVITIES Provinces Permitting EnforcementScientific Services Northern Cape R 0 R 2’655 R0.00 allocated specifically to rhino, except for rhino working group meetings (R4 400) – form part of specialist inputs. KwaZulu-Natal R 137 512.00 R 113 530 641.00 Info not available Western CapeCoE: R1.162 million G&S: ± R1 million Info not available 18

19. STATE OF PROVINCES REPORT – Financial resources CURRENT OPERATIONAL BUDGET FOR RHINO RELATED ACTIVITIES Provinces Permitting EnforcementScientific Services Limpopo No budget specifically set aside for rhino related activities All Compliance & enforcement activities: CoE = R10,5 million G&S = R1.7 million No capacity and funding for scientific support on ecological management of protected areas and monitoring of populations. North WestTotal operational budget for the Directorate Biodiversity Management and Conservation: R18,426,000 19

20. INCREASE IN ALLOCATION OF FUNDS IN KNP IN RESPONSE TO POACHING Operating budget - ≈ZAR 27m Law Enforcement Staff – 396 Additional Forces - 180 Equipment - ≈ZAR 6.7m Helicopters – 3 Light Aircraft – 2 Micro-light Aircraft – 3 Dog units - 15 Data provided by SANParks 20

21. SECURITY COSTS – PRIVATE RHINO OWNERS Security cost: Range: R1 500 – R208 333 Median expense: R17 000 21 Information obtained from: Dr Jo Shaw (WWF)

22. THANK YOU 22