Strategic Protection of Threatened Species
WHO WE ARE
SPOTS is a registered conservation company focused on the conservation and protection of any and all threatened species.
VISION
To bring together conservationists, governments, individuals and business in a combined effort to end the destruction of threatened species.
OUR MISSION
SPOTS is an international direct action organisation utilizing the latest technology and anti poaching strategies to conserve, protect and preserve threatened species.
Latest News
Dec 24, 2012 | by Peter Milton
Looking back at 2012, plans for 2013
As 2012 draws to a close, it is with heavy hearts that we reflect on the year. It is likely that we will have lost around
650 rhino when the new year comes....a growth in poaching of some 40-45% over the 2011 year. The anger that we all feel at this is fueling a passion to make sure that
we redouble our efforts to protect and conserve rhino during 2013 and the years ahead. Many may ask "how can you be confident of that when you are coming off the
worst year of poaching in history?". Well, we simply have to be...and we are. In a way, I think that 2012 will prove to be a turning point in our fight for rhino -
a fight which has often not enjoyed the focus and support of governments and the people of the world. I believe...I know, that has changed.
Dec 03, 2012 | by Peter Milton
Poaching Roundtable
SPOTS management have met with US Embassy staff here in South Africa in order to discuss various conservation issues and how we can work together on the
many challenges that we face....the rhino problem in particular.
We are pleased to have been invited, with certain others, to meet with visiting US diplomatic staff later this week in order to further these discussions. We will
provide updates on those discussions, but we would at this time wish to extend our sincere appreciation to the US Embassy here in South Africa and the government of
the United States for showing the support and commitment that we so urgently need.
Oct 14, 2012 | by Steve Roest
Why is SPOTS focused on Rhino?
We are likely to witness the extinction of some, if not all of these species of rhino in our lifetime. The primary threat to rhino is poaching,
the illegal slaughter of these animals for their horn; a commodity thought to have medicinal value in China. One horn is worth a million dollars on the
black market, the horn is literally worth more than its weight in gold. There are going to be more poachers, with better equipment, willing to take higher risks
to get this rhino horn over the coming years.
Sep 29, 2012 | by Peter Milton
The Legalisation Question
Of all the questions that we are asked, the one most frequently debated is: “Should we legalise trade in rhino horn or not?”. We at SPOTS believe that legalised
trade is not a solution to the current rhino poaching problem. In fact, we believe that legalised trade will lead to ever escalating rhino poaching, it will lead to
increased pressure on many other species, it will lead to huge pressure on our range states, and it will ultimately lead to the total demise of the rhino species as
well as many others.