The South African Government has signed a deal with the Government of Vietnam to help curb the rising number of illegally slaughtered rhinos in the South Africa Sub region.

Hanoi / NationalTurk – The pact was signed in the presence of officials of Vietnam and South Africa in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi which many believe will help curb the menace of poachers.

“The continued slaughter is a cause for immense concern,” South Africa’s environmental minister, Edna Molewa said after signing the new agreement.

“We believe that this latest development at an international level is crucial for South Africa to effectively deal with the current scourge of poaching, and with the illegal hunting largely driven by the international demand for the rhino horn”, Mr. Molewa added.

Buyers in Vietnam are believed to be willing to pay a high prize for the commodity which they used in manufacturing drugs to reduce toxins in the body, treat fever and even cure cancer.

The black market price of rhino horn is now in the region of $65,000 (£40,000) which motivates unscrupulous individual in South Africa and the region to continue to endanger the species despite its being illegal.

An estimation figures since 2003 suggest that, Vietnamese hunters have paid more than $22m to hunt rhinos in South Africa, according to a recent report by the World Wildlife Fund WWF.

Conservation groups have welcomed the move as the first official co-operation between the two nations on the issue which they believe will help conserve the species to boost the country wildlife sector to attract tourists to the country.

The trade in rhino horn has been banned by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species since 1980 but illegal activities in poaching has been on the rise in South Africa with many killing of rhino being from the world-famous Kruger National Park.

At least 618 rhinos have been poached in South Africa in 2012, nearly double the number of those killed in 2010, latest official figures released indicated.

Issaka Adams/NationalTurk Wildlife News

[adrotate group=”15″]