The concept of a free market can be utilized in conserving wildlife in a bid to save the black rhino. The black rhino is becoming an endangered species regarding the increased poaching, and lack of proper regulations to check game hunting. For instance, South Africa allowed game hunting on black rhinos at a time when the animals were critically endangered. Long ago, the black rhinos were widespread across the savannas in Africa and tropic forests in Asia. Presently, the numbers have reduced to a point of extinction of some species. Moreover, exceedingly few black rhinos survive outside national parks and game reserves.
This calls for a need to increase the population of the black rhinos so as to avoid extinction of the remaining species. This can be done by eliminating poaching and regulating game hunting. Conservationists have gone a step further to create protected areas to improve the numbers of the black rhinos.
The number of the black rhinos can significantly improve through the free market by limiting the number of male rhinos in a herd. Hume identified a problem in his farm when black rhino Number 65 dominated the other male rhinos. Breeding became hampered reducing the rate of reproduction. The same problem was noticed by the African Rhino Specialist Group of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 1992. Thus, legalization of game hunting on the black rhinos can be based on that fact.
Some conservationists, like the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), are against legalization of black rhino hunting. However, strict adherence to CITES can help increase the number of the endangered species through controlled hunting.
Though black rhino is an endangered species, it remains a trophy for hunters who are willing to travel and pay large sums to shoot them. The income can be used to boost the economy of the developing African countries that host the hunting. The country also gains through increased tourism revenues.
Hume’s business is another indicator that show free market can work in favor of conservation of the black rhinos. The farm generated a lot of revenue increasing the value of the land. Hume argues that the trade of the white rhino’s horn can be used as a platform for implementing free market for the black rhino. He believes that trophy hunting may serve the purpose of conserving the endangered species.
The governments also need to play a role to ensure that the endangered species are protected. This can be facilitated through eliminating or reducing poaching and forming policies that regulate game hunting. The government can also create conservancies to facilitate reproduction of endangered species.
The poachers can be kept at bay through state run security force for protecting the wildlife. The security need to be professionally trained and highly organized to combat poaching. The government can also involve local communities in conservation efforts. The community can provide the security with the necessary intelligence that will ensure anti-poaching success.
The governments need to cooperate with CITES to ensure they meet the requirements to allow game hunting. This will mean that governments will be in a position to maintain and increase the number of the black rhinos. That is why South Africa could not act alone when they were pushing for the legalization of black rhino hunting. The governments need to develop trophy-hunting policies that are in line with CITES.
Over the past decades, southern and east African countries, particularly Kenya and South have used different approaches that may allow free market. In Kenya, the wildlife is state owned. Other African countries are warming up to the free market including Tanzania and Zimbabwe. The benefits of game hunting should trickle down to the local communities. This will reduce poaching and encourage the local communities participate in conservation initiatives.