Not Beating Around the Bush: Understanding China and South Africa’s Illegal Wildlife Trade

The document examines the illegal wildlife trade as a reflection of complexities in China-Africa relations, specifically focusing on the demand for rhino horn and ivory in China and the supply challenges in South Africa. It highlights the role of cultural status, traditional medicine, and corruption in driving demand, while noting that supply is fueled by poverty and a lack of sustainable economic alternatives for local communities. The brief compares the conservation and enforcement models of South Africa and Kenya, suggesting that reducing demand through public awareness and linking wildlife protection to national priorities like anti-corruption is essential for long-term success.

• Illegal wildlife trade is a massive global illicit business, estimated to generate approximately $19 billion annually and serving as a funding source for corruption and other criminal activities.
• In China, the demand for ivory and rhino horn is driven by their status as symbols of wealth among the emerging middle class, their use in traditional medicine, and their role in religious objects and cultural heritage preservation.
• The illegal wildlife trade in Africa is primarily driven by a lack of sustainable economic alternatives for local communities and increased corruption in several countries, including South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, Uganda, Sudan, South Sudan, and Zimbabwe.
• South Africa faces a divisive internal debate over whether to legalise the rhino horn trade, as the global ban since 1976 has coincided with an increase in illegal trade.
• Kenya is perceived to have a more coordinated and effective response to illegal wildlife trade than South Africa due to a consistent hunting ban since the 1970s, harsher penalties under the Wildlife Bill of 2014, and the high economic value of tourism.
• The illegal killing of rhinos in South Africa between 2008 and 2014 resulted in a loss of national assets estimated at ZAR 1.3 billion (approximately $153 million), excluding security costs.
• China has attempted to address the trade through measures such as a $10 million pledge for wildlife protection in Kenya in 2014, a one-year moratorium on ivory from Zimbabwe and Namibia in 2015, and plans to phase out its domestic ivory industry.

APA

Wu, Y.-S. (2015). Not Beating Around the Bush: Understanding China and South Africa’s Illegal Wildlife Trade. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Policy-Insights-28.pdf

Chicago

Wu, Yu-Shan. Not Beating Around the Bush: Understanding China and South Africa’s Illegal Wildlife Trade. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2015. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Policy-Insights-28.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Wu |first1=Yu-Shan |title=Not Beating Around the Bush: Understanding China and South Africa’s Illegal Wildlife Trade |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=28 October 2015 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Policy-Insights-28.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wu2015not, author = {Wu, Yu-Shan}, title = {{Not Beating Around the Bush: Understanding China and South Africa’s Illegal Wildlife Trade}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2015}, month = oct, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Policy-Insights-28.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }