The US Fish and Wildlife Service agrees to grant legal protection to these animals

Sep 17, 2013 19:51 GMT  ·  By
The US Fish and Wildlife Service agrees to list southern white rhinos as a threatened species
   The US Fish and Wildlife Service agrees to list southern white rhinos as a threatened species

In an attempt to curb poaching activities, the US Fish and Wildlife Service has agreed to list southern white rhinos as a threatened species.

This species inhabits South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Kenya. Conservationists estimate that, all in all, said regions are home to about 20,000 southern white rhinos.

Ecorazzi tells us that, over these past few years, poachers and smugglers have been taking advantage of the fact that this species was not protected under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.

Thus, if often happened that, when they were caught transporting rhino horns, they argued that the horns belonged to white rhinos. Since ongoing legislation allowed them to hunt these animals, there was not much left for authorities to do.

Now that southern white rhinos are considered a threatened species, people caught in possession of their horns risk fines and even jail time.

Conservationists are confident that this measure will help curb trafficking.