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07 May 2009

Media Release: Rhino poaching update

Three alleged rhino poachers were arrested in the Tshokwane region of the Kruger National Park yesterday (6 June 2013). The group were found in possession of firearms and axes.

The arrests come as the number of rhino poached in South Africa for their horn since January 2013 has risen to 394.

The Kruger National Park continues to be the most seriously affected by rhino poaching, with 257 animals being killed in the Park since the beginning of the year.

In North West 46 rhino have been poached, while 35 have been killed in KwaZulu-Natal, 28 in Limpopo, 25 in Mpumalanga, 2 in the Eastern Cape and 1 in Gauteng.

Letaba Section Ranger Andrew Desmet, who was shot and wounded during a joint operation to arrest rhino poachers near Letaba two weeks ago, remains in a critical, but stable, condition in a Nelspruit hospital after undergoing surgery on Tuesday.

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..

Rhino poaching statistics:

SA 2010 2011 2012 2013
KNP (SANParks) 146 252 425 257
MNP (SANParks) 0 6 3 0
GP 15 9 1 1
LIM 52 74 59 28
MP 17 31 28 25
NW 57 21 77 46
EC 4 11 7 2
FS 3 4 0 0
KZN 38 34 66 35
WC 0 6 2 0
NC 1 0 0 0
TOTAL 333 448 668 394


Rhino poaching arrests statistics :

SA 2013 2012 2011 2010
KNP (SANParks) 53 73 82 67
MNP (SANParks) 0 0 0 0
Gauteng (GP) 3 26 16 10
Mpumalanga (MP) 6 66 73 16
Eastern Cape (EC) 0 0 2 7
Limpopo (LIM) 20 43 34 36
North West (NW) 8 32 21 2
Free State (FS) 0 6 0 0
KZN 27 20 4 25
Western Cape (WC) 0 0 0 2
Northern Cape (NC) 0 1 0 0
TOTAL 117 267 232 165


For media queries, contact:
Albi Modise on 083 490 2871

Issued by:
The Department of Environmental Affairs