South Africa poaching stats for the first half of 2024 remain constant to 2023 and highlight that there is still a lot of work to be done to protect our rhino, but is there a sign of hope that things are improving?
On the 1st August South Africa’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) released updated rhino poaching statistics for the first half of 2024.
The numbers show that 229 rhinos were poached in South Africa in the first six months of the year, compared with 231 for the same period in 2023. 83% of all poaching occurred on state run reserves and National Parks, showing that private rhino custodians are still doing the heavy lifting when it comes to protecting this species.
There was a downward trend in May and June, which has been attributed to dehorning efforts in KwaZulu-Natal's (KZN) HluHluwe-iMfolozi State Run Park - the current global hotspot of rhino poaching. However, whether this trend continues into the second half of the year, or whether this is a temporary reprieve remains to be seen.
Despite this marginal slow down, KZN is still of great concern with 145 rhinos lost already this year – 63% of the national total. Our dedicated orphanage facility, the only one in the province, has seen the impacts of this with nine orphans rescued between January and June of this year – a shocking 450% increase on orphans rescued for the same period in 2023.
Population numbers were at long last included following a prolonged period of conservation bodies, us included, imploring the South African government to release this information.
The DFFE states that in 2022 and 2023, 2.9% and 3.2% respectively of South Africa’s rhino population were killed – under the 3.5% threshold above which numbers will decline. While this is encouraging it does not mean the work is done. Being marginally under this threshold shows that South Africa’s rhinos are only just maintaining, we are still a long way from a sustainable population with longevity.
How You Can Help
While the above numbers remain a huge concern to everyone passionate about protecting our rhino, they only tell half the story! There are thousands more rhino carcasses that were never found, hundreds of orphaned calves who were never saved, thousands of rhinos who were never born because earlier generations fell victim to the poachers, and thousands more who perish due to a loss of their natural habitat.
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