Several hundred rhino horns went under the hammer today in South Africa’s first online auction of the controversial product, despite opposition from conservation groups who contended the sale.
The three-day sell off, is organised by the owner of the world’s largest rhino farm. Auction organiser John Hume, who owns 1 500 rhinos on his farm north of Johannesburg has stockpiled six tonnes of rhino horns and wants to sell 264 pieces weighing a total of 500kg.
He had said that he harvests the horns by tranquilising the animals and dehorning them a technique which he admits is humane. Activists opposed to the sale fear it will fuel trafficking and undermine a 40-year global ban on the rhino trade. Animal protection charity Humane Society has opened an online petition urging the government not to issue permits to potential horn buyers.
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