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20 April 2013

Update on Rhino Poaching

Since the beginning of the year, the North West province has had a total of 21 rhinos poached while 19 have been poached in KwaZulu-Natal, 19 in Limpopo and 13 in Mpumalanga. The number of alleged poachers arrested countrywide has increased to 83, with five arrests having been made in the Kruger National Park since last week.

A total of 41 alleged poachers have been arrested in the Kruger National Park since January. In the past week, three suspected rhino poachers were arrested in the Tshokwane Section of the Park after killing a black rhino. One of the poachers died in a local hospital after being wounded in a shootout with rangers. The rhino horns were confiscated from the alleged poachers, as well as a 458 hunting rifle with a silencer, ammunition and poaching related equipment.

In a separate incident on Tuesday, an alleged poacher was fatally wounded by rangers near the Langtoon dam during a shootout. Two firearms, ammunition and poaching equipment were recovered.

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) 146 252 425 201
MNP (SANParks) 0 6 3 0
GP 15 9 1 0
LIM 52 74 59 19
MP 17 31 28 13
NW 57 21 77 21
EC 4 11 7 0
FS 3 4 0 0
KZN 38 34 66 19
WC 0 6 2 0
NC 1 0 0 0
TOTAL 333 448 668 273


Rhino poaching arrests statistics :

SA 2013 2012 2011 2010
KNP (SANParks) 41 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) 17 43 34 36
North West (NW) 8 32 21 2
Free State (FS) 0 6 0 0
KZN 13 20 4 25
Western Cape (WC) 0 0 0 2
Northern Cape (NC) 0 1 0 0
TOTAL 83 267 232 165


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

Issued by:
The Department of Environmental Affairs