The Namibian government has called for bids from trophy hunters to kill three endangered black rhino despite fierce global criticism over previous auctions. An American hunter last year paid $350 000 to shoot one, with government officials on hand to ensure he killed the correct animal. Namibia has since 2012 sold licences each year to kill individual rhino, saying the money is essential to fund conservation projects and anti-poaching protection. It says the rhino selected for the hunts are old individuals that no longer breed and that pose a threat to younger rhino.
The environment ministry recently advertised three black rhino available for the hunting season which ends in November. The advertisement offered discounts to Namibian-owned companies or those employing a Namibian-registered professional hunter. Environment ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda defended the auction, saying: "We feel we are doing the right thing.
"As a country we have our own legislation and we are not doing anything contrary to any law. As a matter of fact, our constitution allows us to empower our own people," he said.
"We are hoping to get enough money from this auction but we also do not want it to be controversial like in the past," he said.
In neighbouring South Africa, nearly 1 200 rhino were killed by poachers last year in a slaughter driven by demand for powdered rhino horn in some Asian countries, where it is seen as medicinal.
Source: News24
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