S. Africans join global march for protection of endangered wildlife

South Africans on Saturday joined a global march to raise awareness for the protection of elephants, rhinos and lions.

Thousands of South Africans took part in the march that took place in about 18 cities.

In addition to South Africa, 36 countries in Africa and 134 states in the world were also participating in the Global March for Elephant, Rhino and Lion.

South African Minister of Environmental Affairs Edna Molewa led the march in Pretoria.

Molewa called on the public and communities around rhino enclaves in particular to join the fight against poaching of endangered wildlife, particularly rhinos.

Dex Kotze, world-renowned conversationalist and lead organizer of the march in South Africa, said they have memorandums of demand that are aimed at reducing wildlife crime which is a serious threat to the elephants, rhinos, lions and tigers elsewhere in the world.

"We are specifically targeting 19 countries listed by the United Nations convention of international trade of endangered species and these 19 countries are listed because they are not taking legislation majors to combat the international wildlife trafficking that is roughly 20 billion U.S. dollars a year."

The march sent a strong message to these countries that they have to change the laws to make the punitive sentences for wildlife trafficking a deterrent.

He said the South African government is to amend legislation pertaining to rhino and elephant poaching to enforce stiffer sentences denying bail for those involving in wildlife trafficking.

South Africa, home to more than 80 percent of the world's rhino population, 93 percent of Africa's white rhinos and 39 percent of Africa's black rhinos, has borne the brunt of rhino poaching. Since the beginning of this year, 787 rhinos have been lost to poaching, most of them in the Kruger National Park, which borders Mozambique, from where many of the poachers allegedly penetrate the KNP.

Last year, a record number of 1,004 rhinos were poached in South Africa.

Kotze estimated that this year, South Africa is likely to lose about 1,200 to 1,300 rhinos.

The estimate is based on the last seven years when the country has seen a 50-percent increase in rhino poaching. Enditem