Not even a week after the Vryheid Herald reported on the killing of a rhino, another rhino has been shot in the Louwsburg area. Last week Tuesday, police were called out to a game reserve in the area, where they found the rhino with its horn cut off. The animal was allegedly shot. This brings the total of rhino killings to three that the Herald has reported on in less than three months in the Zululand District.
This comes a month after ‘World Rhino Day’, which is celebrated as an awareness campaign on September 22. Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries & the Environment Narend Singh says the government will continue to fight to bring rhino poaching to an end and bring the perpetrators to book. Singh was speaking during a commemoration event to mark ‘World Rhino Day’ at Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park (HiP). First announced by WWF-South Africa in 2010, ‘World Rhino Day’ celebrates all five species of rhino: black, white, greater one-horned, Sumatran and Javan. This day brings together NGOs, zoos, rhino sanctuaries and concerned citizens across the globe to raise awareness and funds for the five species of rhinoceros – all of which are under threat from the illegal rhino horn trade.
During the commemoration in September, Singh said they welcome the positive impact made by the dehorning of rhinos, but government wants to reach a stage where rhino poaching is stopped altogether and there is no need for dehorning.
“We mark ‘World Rhino Day’ to bring to the attention of the world that we want to protect and preserve this beautiful animal. We are concerned about poaching and unscrupulous individuals who are paying for these animals to be killed for their horns.”
Last year, 499 rhinos were killed in South Africa – an increase of more than 10% compared to 2022. Moreover, the numbers highlight serious ongoing concerns for HiP, which has been heavily targeted in recent years and lost 307 rhinos to poaching during 2023. This figure represents more than 60% of the national poaching losses and is an increase of 33% compared to 2022. In May this year, nine rhinos were slaughtered in a single massacre by poachers in HiP, bringing the total for the month of May alone to a staggering 23.

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The news provided to you in this link comes to you from the editorial staff of the Vryheid Herald, a sold newspaper distributed in the Vryheid area.