Rhino poaching on the decrease

Rhino poaching in South Africa continues to decline as additional steps are being taken by government to ensure the crime is effectively dealt with.

In 2018, 769 rhino were killed for their horn. During 2019, rhino poaching continued to decline, with 594 rhino poached nationally.

In KwaZulu-Natal, the rhino poaching numbers dropped to 133 in 2019 compared to 142 in 2018.

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“A decline in poaching for five consecutive years is a reflection of the diligent work of the men and women who put their lives on the line daily to combat rhino poaching, often coming into direct contact with ruthless poachers,” said the Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Barbara Creecy.

The department reported 31 elephant have been poached in South Africa in 2019 – 30 animals in the Kruger National Park and 1 in Mapungubwe National Park.  This is a decrease in the number of elephant poached in 2018 when 71 were killed for their tusks.

From January to December 2019, 178 alleged poachers were arrested within the Kruger National Park.  At a national level, 332 arrests were effected in respect of both rhino poaching and rhino horn trafficking and in excess of 57 major investigations were undertaken across the country.

Eighty five firearms were recovered during the year.

The arrests have resulted in a number of convictions as well as various high profile cases presently before the courts.

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) welcomes the reported decline in the numbers of rhinos lost to poaching in South Africa in 2019.

WWF South Africa, in collaboration with USAID, is implementing a five-year programme aimed at halting the impacts of wildlife trafficking on key populations of flagship species in the South African and Mozambican landscape of the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area (GLTFCA).

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