As the triennial Conference of Parties of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) draws to a close, the number of rhino poached in South Africa rose to 158 since the beginning of the year.
In the Kruger National Park 116 rhino have been poached, while 13 have been poached in North West, 12 in KwaZulu-Natal, nine in Mpumalanga and eight in Limpopo.
A total of 61 people have been arrested, 38 of them alleged poachers and three alleged couriers.
In the past week two alleged poachers were arrested in the Kruger National Park. Nine were arrested at a game farm near Lephalale in Limpopo in connection with rhino poaching on March 10, the Limpopo conservation department confirmed.
Delegates to CoP16 in Bangkok, Thailand, congratulated the Department of Environmental Affairs for its initiatives to combat rhino poaching on the sidelines of the conference saying initiatives presently being undertaken in South Africa would enhance the global effort to fight all trans-boundary wildlife crimes.
Rhino poaching statistics
|
South Africa |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
|
KNP (SANParks) |
146 |
252 |
425 |
116 |
|
MNP (SANParks) |
0 |
6 |
3 |
0 |
|
Gauteng |
15 |
9 |
1 |
0 |
|
Limpopo |
52 |
74 |
59 |
8 |
|
Mpumalanga |
17 |
31 |
28 |
9 |
|
North West |
57 |
21 |
77 |
13 |
|
Eastern Cape |
4 |
11 |
7 |
0 |
|
Free State |
3 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
|
KwaZulu-Natal |
38 |
34 |
66 |
12 |
|
Western Cape |
0 |
6 |
2 |
0 |
|
Northern Cape |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Total |
333 |
448 |
668 |
158 |
Rhino poaching arrests statistics
|
South Africa - Arrests |
2013 |
2012 |
2011 |
2010 |
|
KNP |
28 |
73 |
82 |
67 |
|
MNP |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Gauteng |
3 |
26 |
16 |
10 |
|
Mpumalanga |
1 |
66 |
73 |
16 |
|
Eastern Cape |
0 |
0 |
2 |
7 |
|
Limpopo |
20 |
43 |
34 |
36 |
|
North West |
8 |
32 |
21 |
2 |
|
Free State |
0 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
|
KwaZulu-Natal |
1 |
20 |
4 |
25 |
|
Western Cape |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
Northern Cape |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Total |
61 |
267 |
232 |
165 |
South Africans are urged to report incidents of poaching and tip-offs to the anonymous tip-off lines 0800 205 005, 08600 10111 or Crime-Line on 32211.
For media queries contact:
Albi Modise
Cell: 083 490 2871
