The South African and Vietnamese governments have come together and agreed to sign a memorandum of understanding that will seek ways to stop rhino poaching. Ironically, the Vietnamese officials asked that a domestic medical research institute verify that rhino horn had no medicinal properties, and to make this information public.

The new agreement will encourage collaboration between Vietnam and South Africa in respect of biodiversity conservation and protection, as well as law enforcement and compliance with the Convention on Trade in Endangered Species (Cites).

Ha Cong Tuan, leading the Vietnamese delegation, explained that intelligence on wildlife imports and exports, including rhino horn trophies, was going to be an aspect that needed closer monitoring.

Locally, Fundisile Mketeni, Department of Environmental Affairs deputy director-general for biodiversity and conservation, was in agreement with Tuan and went as far as to say that South African officials may check whether hunters’ trophies were “still sitting on [the] wall” a year after a hunt.

As for the verification of rhino horn and its medicinal properties, it’s a good idea to direct attention to this article.

It quotes a scientific study that does in fact prove, via means of research conducted and published in The Environmentalist by Hoffmann-LaRoche, that rhino horn has zero medicinal properties.

We’ve lost 309 rhino’s this year already, in addition to the equally staggering 335 in 2010. Our estimated population sits just below the 23 000 mark, and this reportedly makes up 90 percent of the entire world’s population.

Hopefully this proactive approach will help curb the epidemic of slaughter.

[Sources: BusinessDay, RhinoConservation]