Rhino poaching on rise in South Africa
May 9th, 2012 - 10:41 am ICT by IANSCape Town, May 9 (IANS) As many as 210 rhinos have been poached in South Africa since the beginning of this year despite mounting efforts to stop the scourge, the government has said.
According to the Department of Environmental Affairs said in the latest update on rhino poaching statistics, the country’s Kruger National Park continues to bear the brunt, losing a “disturbing” total of 127 rhinos since January 2012, Xinhua reported.
A total of 128 people have been arrested this year, of which as many as 67 have been held in the Kruger National Park only, the department said.
“The government views the poaching of this national treasure in a very serious light and continues to prioritise our fight against this crime through coordinated, joint efforts,” it said.
The South African government has appealed to the public to assist in fighting rhino poaching as the number of illegally killed rhinos keeps rising.
A hotline has been set up for public to report incidents of rhino poaching or any tip-offs that could lead to arrests and prevention of illegal killings.
Growing demand for rhino horns in Asia, particularly in Vietnam, has been blamed for the recent upsurge in rhino poaching in South Africa. The rhino horn is seen in Vietnam as a luxury item, used as a post-partying cleanser and a purported cancer cure.
Last year, a record 448 rhinos were killed in South Africa, including 19 black rhinos, a critically endangered species of which fewer than 5,000 remain in the wild.
- 220 rhinos killed in South Africa this year - May 23, 2012
- Rhino killed in South Africa - Mar 03, 2012
- Vietnamese man held with rhino horns - Apr 24, 2012
- South African game park officials arrested for rhino poaching - Mar 01, 2012
- $65,000 reward to nab South Africa rhino poachers - Feb 13, 2012
- Rhino poaching surge in South Africa - Jan 13, 2012
- Nearly 300 rhinos killed in South Africa this year - Jul 19, 2012
- Rhino horn more expensive than gold in South Africa - Jan 17, 2011
- Poachers kill the last female rhino in the South African National Park - Jul 20, 2010
- Four Kaziranga rhinos to be released in Manas - Feb 19, 2012
- 18 rhino carcasses found in South Africa - Nov 19, 2010
- One-horned rhino killed in Assam - May 23, 2012
- Rhino poaching continues unabated in South Africa - Mar 03, 2012
- Rhino mother, baby killed in South Africa - Feb 11, 2012
- Rhino poached in Kaziranga National Park - Apr 12, 2012
Tags: asia, black rhinos, brunt, cancer cure, environmental affairs, killings, kruger national park, national treasure, prevention, rhino, rhino horn, rhino horns, rhinos, scourge, south africa cape town, south african government, statistics, tip offs, vietnam, xinhua