Ha Noi \u2014 The governments of South Africa and Vietnam today signed a landmark agreement that authorities hope will help quash the alarming scourge of rhino poaching that has been seen in the North West, Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces.<\/p>\n
The release last month of the official rhino poaching figures for South Africa had sent shockwaves throughout the country and had environmentalist questioning whether authorities were winning the war against the crime. As of this week, a staggering 607 rhinos were poached in South Africa.<\/p>\n
The latest figures show that the Kruger National Park has lost 364 rhinos to poaching, while KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and the North West provinces continue to be the hardest hit by poachers, collectively accounting for the loss of over 190 rhinos.<\/p>\n
But as SAnews reports from the Vietnamese capital, the memorandum of understanding, signed by South Africa’s Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa and her Vietnamese counterpart Cao Duc Phat, could signal the broadest step yet by the two governments to pull the plug on illegal rhino horn dealings.<\/p>\n
According to the World Wildlife Fund, more than 75% of the entire world’s rhino today are found in South Africa. Perhaps it is for this reason that officials and environmentalists alike have gone on an all-out campaign to save the precious animal.<\/p>\n
The illegal horn trade reportedly once revolved around markets in China, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and Yemen, but now centres on Vietnam.<\/p>\n
Although many still see it through the lens of war, Vietnam is undoubtedly among the best when it comes to natural beauty, culture and diversity. It is Asia’s unexplored jewel.<\/p>\n
But regrettably, the country, situated south of China, is also home to many superstitions. These include an unfounded widespread belief that a rhino horn can help cure cancer and the sensational claim that it improves sexual performance. The belief has spread throughout the Asian nations, with Vietnam believed to be used as a transit point for these horns.<\/p>\n
Although a number of Vietnamese we spoke to on the streets of Ha Noi rubbished the belief that the horn could be used to cure cancer, others do actually think the horn could help alleviate all sorts of diseases and misfortunes. Others, like store owner, To Hao Chau, said while they didn’t know of anyone who had been cured or helped by the rhino horn, they would use it should a need arise.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n