News

According to Acting Head of Communications SANParks, Paul Daphne, “World Rhino Day is an opportunity to highlight the efforts being made to fight the scourge of rhino poaching around the world and to debunk the myths and reduce the demand for rhino horn.” Daphne said the current rhino poaching statistics for the Kruger National Park (KNP) stand at 241 for this year. “It is indeed worrying that we are still losing such a high number of rhinos but the increasing number of successful arrests and steeper sentences such as the combined 58 years imprisonment imposed on two suspected rhino poachers recently is encouraging.” The KNP has arrested 49 suspected poachers this year. This is not only thanks to the increased cooperation from ordinary members of the public but from corporate South Africa joining the fight against rhino poaching. We hope this will result in successful investigations, effect more arrests and ultimately realise more successful convictions of the perpetrators.

At the recent 702 Walk the Talk and the Jacaranda FM Spring Walk, SANParks decided to Walk for Rhino”s, a campaign to create awareness for the plight our country”s rhino and to encourage zero tolerance towards rhino poaching, to stop the killing of our national heritage. Daphne says, “Rhino poaching is a crime that is undoubtedly fuelled by a thriving black market trade in rhino horn. The community needs to take part in anti-rhino poaching initiatives. We need to go out there and expose these selfish people who are undermining our country. They live in our neighbourhoods and they should be identifiable through their lifestyles.”

Society cannot stand by and watch helplessly as international criminals declare war on our nation. We all need to defend our heritage with everything we have. Stand together with SANParks to stop the killing.

Issued by:
SANParks

For Media queries contact:
Reynold “Rey” Thakhuli
General Manager: Media, Events & Stakeholder Relations.
Tel: (012) 426 5170 Cell: 073 373 4999
Email: [email protected]