220 rhinos killed in South Africa this year
May 23rd, 2012 - 1:36 pm ICT by IANSJohannesburg, May 23 (IANS) At least 220 endangered rhinos were killed by poachers for their horns in South Africa since the beginning of this year, authorities said.
Among the slaughtered rhinos, 207 were killed in the Kruger National Park in the northeastern province of Limpopo, and the reserves in the central northern province of the North West and the southeastern province of KwaZulu-Natal, said the Department of Environmental Affairs.
In 2011, a total of 448 rhinos were killed in South Africa, compared to 333 in 2010, reported Xinhua.
Conservationists have warned that the rhino in South Africa is facing its worst poaching crisis in decades.
If the killing trend continues at this rate, it is expected that at least 500 rhinos will be illegally slaughtered by the end of 2012.
A total of 146 arrests have been made in an effort to curb the illegal poaching of the rhino this year.
South Africa is home to the largest endangered rhino population in the world of about 20,000, having nearly 80 percent of the global total population of rhino.
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- $65,000 reward to nab South Africa rhino poachers - Feb 13, 2012
- South African game park officials arrested for rhino poaching - Mar 01, 2012
- South Africa sets up team to tackle wildlife poaching - Apr 18, 2010
- Rhino mother, baby killed in South Africa - Feb 11, 2012
- Animal rights campaigners accidentally kill rhino - Feb 11, 2012
- South Africa taxi accident kills 11 - Mar 13, 2012
- Rhino horn more expensive than gold in South Africa - Jan 17, 2011
- Rhino poaching continues unabated in South Africa - Mar 03, 2012
- ATM bombings continue unabated in South Africa - Jun 06, 2012
- 18 rhino carcasses found in South Africa - Nov 19, 2010
- Mandela's arrest site turned into memorial - Aug 07, 2012
Tags: authorities, conservationists, decades, endangered rhino, environmental affairs, horns, johannesburg, kruger national park, limpopo, northeastern province, northern province, poachers, rhino, rhino population, rhinos, south africa, total population, xinhua