In a decisive move at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, member states overwhelmingly rejected Namibia’s proposals to legalize international trade in black and white rhino horns. The proposals, which required a two-thirds majority for adoption, garnered only approximately 30 supporting votes out of 120 participating nations.
Namibia, which pioneered rhino dehorning in 1989 to deter poachers, had also sought to overturn the ban on African savanna elephant ivory—a measure that was similarly defeated. The nation’s push for legal trade comes amid record poaching levels, with government data revealing 87 rhinos killed illegally in 2022—nearly double the previous year’s figures.
Conservation experts attribute Namibia’s motivation to substantial rhino horn stockpiles accumulated through dehorning programs. Taylor Tench, senior wildlife policy analyst at the Environmental Investigation Agency, revealed Namibia possesses approximately 6.45 tonnes of white rhino horn and 4.6 tonnes of black rhino horn, while South Africa’s stockpiles are estimated at four times that amount.
The debate exposes deep divisions in conservation strategy. Pro-trade advocates argue legalization would generate revenue for conservation efforts and help private rhino owners offset anti-poaching costs. Opponents, however, warn that legitimizing trade would stimulate demand in Asian markets where rhino horn is prized in traditional medicine and as status symbols, potentially reversing decades of protection efforts.
Rhino populations remain critically vulnerable. Black rhinos are classified as critically endangered with only 6,421 individuals remaining—a 90% decline since 1960. Southern white rhinos, while more numerous at 15,752, have seen an 11% population decrease since 2023, reaching their lowest point since the current poaching crisis began nearly twenty years ago.