Johannesburg – Two hundred and twenty-nine rhinos were poached in South Africa during the first six months of 2024 – two less than in the same reporting period last year.
Of those rhinos poached, 191 were killed on state properties and 38 on privately owned parks/reserves/farms.
“A significant drop was noted during May and June this year with national losses reported at 21 and 22 respectively (May and June of 2023 were recorded at 42 and 34),” newly appointed Forestry, Fisheries and Environment Minister Dr. Dion George announced Thursday, (1 August 2024).
“This reduced loss is thought to be attributable to the dehorning of rhino populations in KwaZulu-Natal and specifically in Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park where over 1 000 rhinos have been dehorned since April 2024.”
Kruger National Park (KNP) lost 45 rhinos to poaching from January to June 2024 compared to 42 during the same reporting period in 2023.
KNP continues to implement its Rhino Conservation Plan which amongst others, focuses on guarding and protecting rhinos in the core rhino areas, the use of appropriate technologies, dehorning of rhino, and implementing innovative biological management in these areas.
The KNP Integrity Management Plan is being implemented to address staff integrity which also focuses on other initiatives such as Field Ranger Selection & Training, Polygraph Testing, Wellness, Financial Literacy Training, and Skills Development programmes.
South Africa had 1 032 more rhinos in 2023 than there were in 2021 despite the poaching – in 2022 and 2023, 2.9% and 3.2% of South Africa’s rhinos respectively were poached.
These were lower than the threshold of 3.5% beyond which rhino numbers will decline.
The Department Forestry, Fisheries and Environment said implementation of the Year 1 targets of the Implementation Plan of the National Integrated Strategy to Combat Wildlife Trafficking (NISCWT) was well underway.
Cooperation between all stakeholders including the government and the private sector was being promoted.
The implementation of NISCWT is overseen by the NATJOINTS Priority Committee on Wildlife Trafficking.
During the reporting period, over 60 suspects have been arrested and 20 heavy calibre firearms recovered in relation to rhino poaching and rhino horn trafficking.
