There are even fears that Botswana could be next on the hit list. All have substantial numbers of rhino which is why they have become the focus for poachers and criminal syndicates that run the illegal trade. KwaZulu-Natal is home to smaller wildlife sanctuaries and reserves as well as private game reserves. This has reduced the number of killings.īut, to some extent, the poaching epidemic has simply changed focus and location. Protection in the Kruger National Park has increased through the establishment of an “intensive protection zone” in the centre and south of the 19,485 km² park. Successes in Kruger increase jeopardy elsewhere South Africa is home to 75% of Africa’s rhino with between 19,000 and 20,000 white rhino and about 2,000 black rhino. There are at most 5,458 black rhino, 21,085 white rhino, 3,500 Asian one-horned rhino, 100 Sumatran rhino and between 61 and 63 Javan rhino left in the wild. In particular, illegal killings in areas outside South Africa’s largest game reserve, the Kruger National Park, have been on the rise. Her statistics showed that nationally 121 fewer animals were poached in 2016 (1,054) compared with 2015 (1,175).īut my research into the evolution of poaching operations in South Africa – which I shared round about the same time – showed that while fewer had been killed, poaching efforts had simply shifted locations. In one of the worst attacks nine rhinos were found dead, bringing to 23 the number killed so far in just one month.Įarlier this year South Africa’s Minister of Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa, announced triumphantly that in 2016 fewer rhinos had been poached than in 2015. In recent months poaching incidents have spiked in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park in the northeastern province of KwaZulu-Natal. Rhino poaching in South Africa continues to be a problem.
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