Some good news on the rhino poaching front. South Africa, home to the largest rhino population reported a decline in poaching kills for the fifth strait year. Sill, a tragic 594 rhinos were poached in 2019 for their horns. The declines are attributed to a number of factors by the government including faster reaction times, improved intelligence and more cooperation between regional and national authorities. 2015 was the worst year on record with 1300 animals killed, 1175 in South Africa. Kruger National Park lost 327 rhinos to poaching in 2019; 178 alleged poachers were arrested within its boundaries.
South Africa is taking further steps to eliminate rhino poaching. A national integrated strategy is on the country's Cabinet agenda for the first half of 2020. In a press release the government noted that wildlife trafficking is a highly sophisticated form of transnational crime which threatens national security. A strategic framework to follow is needed to attack the problem with sufficient resources and public support. Minister of Environment, Barbara Creecy, credited the dedication and efforts of the nation's rangers who put their lives at risk to combat poaching.
[Kruger white rhinos, credit B. Gagnon]
The international black market demand for horn, composed of medicinally useless keratin, drives the poaching epidemic. The price of horn has dropped by two-thirds from $65,000 to $22,000 per kilogram, which has a beneficial impact on demand. But part of the decline may be due to the fact that the most accessible animals are gone and their are fewer rhinos to poach. There is still a need for continued prosecution of high level smugglers and longer incarcerations for poaching and related crimes.
