A record 1,020 rhinos poached in South Africa this year

More than 1,000 rhinos have been poached in South Africa since January, beating last year’s total of 1004 with still six weeks of the year to go.

The Kruger National Park lost the largest number of rhinos at 672, while a total of 110 rhino have been poached in Limpopo, 84 in KwaZulu-Natal, 70 in Mpumalanga, 58 in North West and 15 in the Eastern Cape.
“Unfortunately the threat of poaching has continued to escalate while various multi-faceted interventions are being implemented by South Africa,”  South Africa’s Minister of Environmental Affairs Edna Molewa said at a Rhino Conservation Side Event at the 6th World Parks Congress in Australia.  “We are concerned that poaching is part of a multi-billion dollar worldwide illicit wildlife trade. Addressing the scourge is not simple.”  In a bid to combat and reduce the levels  South Africa has launched a number of initiatives, including the creation of an intensive protection zone within the Kruger National Park, translocating rhino to safe areas within South Africa, increasing surveillance and improving national, regional and international collaboration.

by kelly

05:23