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12 February 2009

Media Release: Update on Rhino Poaching

In the Kruger National Park 116 rhino have been poached, while 13 have been poached in North West, 12 in Kwazulu-Natal, 9 in Mpumalanga and 8 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:

SA 2010 2011 2012 2013
KNP (SANParks) 146 252 425 116
MNP (SANParks) 0 6 3 0
GP 15 9 1 0
LIM 52 74 59 8
MP 17 31 28 9
NW 57 21 77 13
EC 4 11 7 0
FS 3 4 0 0
KZN 38 34 66 12
WC 0 6 2 0
NC 1 0 0 0
TOTAL 333 448 668 158

Rhino poaching arrests statistics :

SA 2013 2012 2011 2010
KNP (SANParks) 28 73 82 67
MNP (SANParks) 0 0 0 0
Gauteng (GP) 3 26 16 10
Mpumalanga (MP) 1 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 1 20 4 25
Western Cape (WC) 0 0 0 2
Northern Cape (NC) 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 on 083 490 2871

Issued by:
The Department of Environmental Affairs