National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, 2004 (Act No. 10 of 2004)

Notices

Norms and Standards for the Marking of Rhinoceros and Rhinoceros Horn, and for the Hunting of Rhinoceros for Trophy Hunting Purposes

3. Marking of live rhinoceros and any rhinoceros horn
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(1)When a live rhinoceros is required to be darted after the commencement of these norms and standards, irrespective of the purpose of the darting, and such rhinoceros has not been marked by means of a microchip before, or where an inserted microchip is no longer detectable, such darted rhinoceros must be marked by means of a microchip by the relevant issuing authority or a veterinarian, with one microchip behind the ear, close to the base of the ear, and one microchip in each of the horns that is 5cm or more in length, or by any other means of identification as approved by the Director-General.

 

(2)Any rhinoceros mortality, irrespective of the cause of such mortality, or theft of a rhinoceros horn, must be reported to the issuing authority within 5 working days of discovering the death of such rhinoceros or the theft of such rhinoceros horn.

 

(3)If a person obtains a rhinoceros horn from a rhinoceros of which he or she is the owner, in any of the manners contemplated below, such owner must apply to the relevant issuing authority, within 5 working days of acquiring such rhinoceros horn, to have such rhinoceros horn marked if it is 5cm or more in length—
(a)mortality of such rhinoceros, irrespective of the cause of such mortality;
(b)dehorning of such rhinoceros; or
(c)where such rhinoceros has lost its horn in any other manner.

 

(4)A person, other than a person contemplated in subparagraph (3), who is in possession of rhinoceros horn that is 5cm or more in length, irrespective of the weight of such rhinoceros horn, must apply to the relevant issuing authority to have such horn marked in accordance with subparagraph (8).

 

(5)When an application for the possession and marking of a detached rhinoceros horn, or for the marking of a detached rhinoceros horn, as the case may be, contemplated in subparagraph (3) or (4), is submitted to the relevant issuing authority, the measurements contemplated below, of each of the rhinoceros horn, must be provided by the applicant—
(a)base circumference;
(b)length, measured along the inner curve;
(c)length, measured along the outer curve; and
(d)weight.

 

(6)In addition to information on the measurements contemplated in subparagraph (5), the applicant must also submit photographs of suitable quality that allows for easy identification, of each rhinoceros horn.

 

(7)Prior to the issuance of a possession permit by the relevant issuing authority, an official of such issuing authority must conduct an inspection of the rhinoceros horn contemplated in subparagraph (3) or (4), and verify the measurements contemplated in subparagraph (5), as supplied by the applicant.

 

(8)An official of the relevant issuing authority must mark the rhinoceros horn contemplated in subparagraph (3) or (4)—
(a)by means of a microchip, or by any other means of identification as approved by the Director-General; and
(b)with indelible ink or by means of punch die, using the formula ZA/serial number /year/weight/RH, if the rhinoceros horn or part thereof is 5cm or more in length (the year referred to in the ZA number must reflect the year of recovery or acquisition of the rhinoceros horn from the wild).

 

(9)The rhinoceros horn contemplated in subparagraph (3) or (4) does not need to be marked by means of a microchip, if such rhinoceros horn has been marked before by means of a microchip and such microchip is still detectable.

 

(10)In the case of a rhinoceros horn that has been seized from a person who obtained such rhinoceros horn unlawfully, or is reasonably suspected to have been obtained unlawfully, such rhinoceros horn must, in addition to the means contemplated in subparagraph (8), also be marked in indelible ink to indicate the CAS number.

 

(11)The owner of a rhinoceros or rhinoceros horn is responsible for the actual costs incurred by the issuing authority to purchase microchips for the purpose of marking such rhinoceros or rhinoceros horn.

 

(12)A microchip may not be re-used and must be destroyed when it is no longer in use for identification of the original recipient.

 

(13)The microchip numbers with which a rhinoceros or rhinoceros horn have been marked must be recorded on the possession permit, if such possession permit is required in terms of applicable biodiversity legislation.

 

(14)In the case of the marking of a rhinoceros or rhinoceros horn by means of a microchip, only a 10-digit microchip may be used.

 

(15)Unless specified otherwise by the Minister, the owner of a rhinoceros horn must keep such rhinoceros horn in an unmovable safe that is compliant to SANS 953-1 and 953-2 to prevent or minimize the risk of theft of such horn.

 

(16)Issuing authorities must ensure that the information relating to the marking of all rhinoceros horn contemplated in subparagraph (9), as well as any changes in respect of such markings, is recorded on the national database.