African Rhino Conservation and the Interacting Influences of Property, Prices, and Policy

Conserving terrestrial megafauna presents distinct challenges to policymakers. Despite decades of evolving regulatory measures, wild rhinoceros populations remain threatened by illegal killing to acquire rhino horn, a valuable commodity in East Asian markets. In Africa, rhino conservation performance has varied with geography and over time. This research draws on institutional economic theories to seek plausible explanations for such variable conservation outcomes. Such theories suggest that institutional variables such as property rights profoundly influence human behaviour, leading to hypotheses that we test using comparative institutional analytic methods. Our inquiry affirms that blanket trade restrictions do not account for local conservation success and that other institutional factors appear more relevant. We find that positive overall conservation outcomes correlate with greater institutional diversity within countries, notably those that enable non-state actors to play a meaningful role in rhino management. Our research further suggests that strengthening institutions through decentralization is a sensible conservation strategy for rhinos. However, a specific case study of the economics of white rhino ownership in South Africa reveals that this approach is not considered a panacea for conservation as it raises concerns over potential domestication. We conclude with recommendations for policy—notably, to avoid recentralization—and further research.