As figures from South Africa reveal rhino poaching has increased by 30%, zoologist Professor John Hanks argues for a legal trade in rhino horn.
Hosted by Kent’s Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE), his talk – entitled‘A legal trade in rhino horn, an option for a sustainable and long-term future for rhinos in Africa’ – will take place at 6pm on Thursday 12 November in the Wolfe Lecture Theatre on the University’s Canterbury campus. It is free and open to all.
Professor Hanks , who worked at the University of Natal, has a worldwide reputation for his work countering the aggressive poaching of rhinos with the use of similarly aggressive tactics. Known as Operation Lock, the initiative is staffed by former members of the SAS.
His views on how to effectively manage endangered populations that are threatened by ruthless poachers, equally ruthless and corrupt politicians and sometimes – he contends – conservation supporters, have attracted controversy.
With more than 45 years of experience in a wide variety of conservation management and research projects in several African countries, he will use his talk to explain why it is so difficult to stop rhino poaching and question whether trade bans work. He will contend that a sustainable wildlife industry needs a legal trade in rhino horn.
Professor Hanks will be joined in his talk by Jane Wiltshire , an independent economist, who has made an extensive study of the academic literature on rhinos and the trade in illegal goods.
This event is part of the Vice-Chancellor’s Esteem Lectures, introduced during our 50th anniversary year to celebrate the academic staff from across a range of different disciplines, reflecting Kent’s broad academic appeal. After the successful first series, the lectures now continue in the 2015/16 academic year.