Letter: Best way to save the rhinoceros

Sir: David Nicholson Lord's article in the Independent ('Rhino and elephant farms 'would save species' ', 17 March) reported that South African wildlife researcher, Michael Sas-Rolfes, believes rhinos should be farmed to supply the trade with horn. The World Wide Fund for Nature does not share this view.

So few rhinos now survive that it may be impossible to 'farm' sufficient horn to meet the demands of the Oriental medicinal trade and the Middle Eastern market for rhino-horn dagger handles. In fact, WWF fears a legal supply of rhino horn could have the opposite effect of stimulating demand and thus lead to further poaching of already seriously depleted wild populations. We believe the best hope for rhinos rests in closing down the trade in rhino horn. WWF is actively pursuing this objective through a range of measures in both rhino range states and the rhino horn consumer countries of the Far and Middle East.

Yours,

ROBIN PELLEW

Director

World Wide Fund for Nature

Godalming,

Surrey

19 March

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