EIA Calls for Urgent Appeal to Prevent Commercial Rhino Horn Exports
EIA is deeply disappointed by the Northern Cape High Court’s dismissal on 3 July 2026 of the South African government’s request for leave to appeal in the case involving the potential export of hundreds of rhino horn for commercial purposes.
The High Court’s dismissal is the latest setback for South Africa’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) as it seeks to prevent private individuals from applying an exemption to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in order to engage in international commercial trade in rhino horn.
With last Friday’s decision, a regional South African court is effectively facilitating a dangerous scheme to export rhino horn to known trafficking hotspots without effective government oversight or safeguards, and without the approval of governments that are party to CITES.
“The commercial sale of rhino horn would further endanger wild rhinos across Africa and Asia by stimulating demand, exacerbating poaching, and undermining enforcement against rhino horn trafficking globally,” said Taylor Tench, Senior Wildlife Policy Analyst with EIA US.
“CITES Parties have agreed, per Resolution Conf. 12.10, that commercial trade in Appendix I specimens – which include rhino horn – from captive-bred sources should only be permitted when the captive breeding facility in question is registered with the CITES Secretariat. There are no rhino captive breeding facilities registered with the CITES Secretariat.”
EIA has major concerns about the intended destinations for the rhino horn, which include countries currently being exploited by organized criminal networks engaged in rhino horn trafficking as well as one country, Lao PDR, which is currently facing CITES trade suspensions for persistent non-compliance with the Convention. For more information about the risks posed by the potential trade in these rhino horns, see EIA’s recent report Sidestepping the Ban.
EIA strongly encourages the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Mr. David Maynier, to pursue urgent appeal applications to the Supreme Court of Appeal to provide an opportunity for judicial scrutiny of the High Court’s judgement and of the immediate enforceability of the order regarding the potential issuance of captive breeding certificates.