South Africa’s High Court lifted the domestic ban on the trade of rhino horns— a policy that was imposed by the government in 2009 to try and stem poaching.
The judge’s ruling was delivered in the Pretoria high court after two South African game breeders, John Hume and Johan Kruger, fought a legal battle to overturn the moratorium, reports AFP.
The decision came ahead of next year’s Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Johannesburg, South Africa, which could lift the global ban.
The country is suffering from a poaching epidemic, which saw 1,215 rhino killed last year for their horn, a rate that will see more rhino killed than born within the next few years. Some private rhino breeders say selling legally harvested horns could stifle the lucrative black market trade.
“We believe the South African government is seriously contemplating making a proposal to CITES to allow international trade in rhino horns,” Izak du Toi, one of Hume’s lawyers, told AFP. “(Hume) hopes that a legalised trade will lead to a reduction in poaching.”
South Africa’s government has 21-ton stockpile of rhino horns worth more than $1.36 billion.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- Jane Fonda Champions Climate Action for Every Generation
- Biden’s Campaign Is In Trouble. Will the Turnaround Plan Work?
- Why We're Spending So Much Money Now
- The Financial Influencers Women Actually Want to Listen To
- Breaker Sunny Choi Is Heading to Paris
- Why TV Can’t Stop Making Silly Shows About Lady Journalists
- The Case for Wearing Shoes in the House
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Contact us at letters@time.com