Slight decrease in rhino poaching stats
Rhino poaching is a national priority crime says environmental affairs minister.
Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa says there has been a slight decrease in the number of rhinos poached nationally between January and June this year.
“There has been a slight decrease in the number of rhino poached nationally. A total of 529 rhino have been poached since January 2017 compared to 542 in the same period of 2016, representing a decrease of 13 rhinos. With regards to the Kruger National Park, which as you know has traditionally borne the brunt of poaching, a total of 243 rhino carcasses were found between January and the end of June 2017. This is compared to 354 in the same period of 2016. This represents a decrease of 34 per cent,” she said.
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She said, however, that a downward trend was being established, which was a cause for cautious optimism.
“Whilst there has been a decrease in the number of rhino killed for their horns in the Kruger National Park and Mpumalanga, the number of rhino poached unfortunately increased in some other provinces,” she said.
“Rhino poaching is a national priority crime and we continue to pursue a number of strategies to tackle this problem, working with vigour and determination, and as a collective,” she said.
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