South Africa Publishes Revised Rhino Conservation Management Plan
South Africa's Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Willie Aucamp, announced yesterday the publication of the revised Black and White Rhino Biodiversity Management Plan (BMP) in the Government Gazette. The updated framework consolidates the separate Black Rhinoceros BMP (2013) and White Rhinoceros BMP (2015) into a single integrated management tool, providing a comprehensive strategic plan to strengthen rhino conservation while supporting collaboration with relevant range states. Implementation has been assigned to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) on an interim basis.
The revised BMP is designed to support a whole-of-society approach to rhino protection, bringing together government, conservation authorities, private landowners, and local communities under a unified framework. A National Rhino Conservation Coordination Committee is to be established under the chairmanship of the DFFE to oversee implementation and facilitate cross-sector collaboration. For the wildlife and conservation tourism sector, the plan represents a significant policy commitment to safeguarding one of Africa's most iconic species - and the ecosystems and tourism economies that depend on them.
Source: SA News
