South Africa loses bid to block rhino horn exports

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An Indian one-horned rhino grazes in the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary in Morigaon, Assam, India, on June 22, 2026. [AFP]

South Africa has lost a bid to overturn a court ruling that could allow exports of legally harvested rhino horn, the private conservationist who brought the case said Friday.

Trade in rhino horn has been banned globally since 1977 under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Supporters say the ban is vital to protect dwindling wild rhino populations from poaching, while advocates of legal trade argue that regulated sales of horn harvested from live animals could fund conservation and curb black-market demand.