Namibia Fails to Lift Global Ban on Rhino Horn Sales

A United Nations conference has rejected Namibia's proposal to legalize the international trade of white rhino horn. The country sought to sell its government-owned stockpiles to raise funds for conservation. Namibia has accumulated these horns through a practice known as "dehorning." Officials safely remove the horns from living rhinos to make the animals less attractive to poachers. The country argued that regulated sales would finance further anti-poaching efforts and community programs. However, opponents at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) meeting feared that any legal market could stimulate demand and complicate law enforcement. The existing global ban, in place since 1977, remains unchanged. The decision means Namibia's stockpiles will remain in storage. The country may still pursue limited legal trade within its own borders.