Anti-poaching efforts pay off

Is there light at the end of the grim tunnel of rhino poaching? While it’s still early days, figures released this week show anti-poaching efforts seem to be making a difference.

Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Barbara Creecy said that, last year, 124 rhino were killed in the Kruger National Park, a decrease of 40% compared to the year before. In 2022, no other national park lost any of its rhino.

ALSO READ: Kruger National Park: 82 rhinos killed in first half of 2022

The bad news is that poaching shifted to KwaZulu-Natal, where 244 animals were killed last year – 228 of them in provincial parks and 16 on private reserves.

“The steady decline in rhino poaching in national parks is related to the relentless war that has been waged by our anti-poaching machinery, as well as a comprehensive dehorning programme,” said Creecy.

While the brave men and women in the front line in our anti-poaching units put their lives on the line to tackle the poachers, little is being done, seemingly, to bring the kingpins to book.

ALSO READ: Three poachers caught after they killed four Kruger rhinos

Even worse, little is being done to choke the demand.

A suggestion to the minister: Take the R1 billion from SA Tourism and use it on a anti-poaching publicity campaign in the Asian rhino horn markets…