Update on African Rhinos
Well-equipped, sophisticated organized crime syndicates have killed more than 800 African rhinos in the past three years - just for their horns. South Africa alone lost 333 rhinos last year to poaching and so far this year has lost more than 70. Most rhino horns leaving Africa are destined for Southeast Asian medicinal markets that are believed to be driving the poaching epidemic. In particular, Vietnamese nationals have been repeatedly implicated in rhino crimes in South Africa.
And, there is some good news!
Despite poaching losses, black rhino numbers are up to 4,840 (from 4,240 in 2007), and white rhino populations have increased to 20,150 (up from 17,500 in 2007). Even though this population growth is encouraging, we cannot let down our guard for a minute.
Although good biological management and anti-poaching efforts have led to modest population gains for both species of African rhino, we can’t let our guard down for a minute. Increasingly, highly organized criminal poaching networks are mobilizing and killing rhinos. Unless we can stop the rapid escalation in poaching in recent years, African rhino numbers could once again start to decline.
How can you help?
Rhino protection staff in some protected areas don’t even have basic equipment, such as binoculars, GPS units, cameras, fingerprint kits to gather scene-of-crime evidence against poachers, and other gear. IRF is beginning a new project with partners in Zimbabwe and South Africa to adequately equip and train rhino protection staff in a number of areas that just need a little boost to make their teams more effective.
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