Rhino hunting ban lifted

A global ban on hunting rare black rhinos was lifted last night.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) adopted a Namibian proposal that will allow the southern African country an annual quota of five black rhinos for trophy hunters. A South African proposal to allow 10 to be hunted is expected to be passed.

Rampant poaching drove black rhino numbers down to around 2400 in the mid-1990s. Now there are about 3600. Namibia and South Africa say only old males who are no longer breeding would be targeted, so the impact on the populations would be negligible. The cash raised will be put into conservation programmes.