Poaching of rhinos declines during 2020

South Africa experienced a marked drop in rhino poaching during 2020, with the killing of the animals declining by 33%.

Environment, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Barbara Creecy said this week: “While the extraordinary circumstances surrounding the battle to beat the Covid-19 pandemic contributed in part to the decrease in rhino poaching in 2020, the role of rangers and security personnel who remained at their posts, and the additional steps taken by government to effectively deal with these and related offences, also played a significant role.”

During the various lockdown alert levels in 2020, the movement of alleged poachers and rhino horn smugglers was curtailed.

After 10 years of implementing various strategies to combat rhino poaching, who are recruited and managed by crime syndicates, South Africa managed to arrest the escalation of rhino losses and has now seen a yearon-year reduction in the number of poached rhinos.

“While this success should be celebrated as a moderate win, we cannot become complacent as the escalating demand in consumer countries ensures a lucrative black market trade and thus relentless pressure on all resources to combat this organised crime,” the department of environment, forestry and fisheries said in a statement.

During 2020, a reported 394 rhino were poached for their horns in South Africa.

This is 33% less than the 594 killed in 2019. This marks the sixth year that rhino poaching has continued to decrease in South Africa.

During 2020, the Kruger National Park (KNP) experienced 1 573 poacher activities, a decrease of 21.9% in comparison to the number in 2019, which was 2 014.

During 2020, a total 247 rhino were poached in South African National Parks – 245 in KNP and two in Marakele National Park.

A total of 16 elephants were poached for their ivory in the KNP during 2020, a decrease of 48.39% compared to the 31 killed in South African national parks (KNP and Marakele National Park) in 2019.

“During the lockdown, we had a significant reduction in poacher incursions into the KNP.

“However, that changed later in the year as the lockdown levels eased and a significant spike in poaching in the KNP was experienced towards the end 2020, especially during December,” the department said.

From January to December last year, a total of 66 alleged poachers were arrested within the KNP.

A total of 90 people were arrested for rhino poaching and rhino horn trafficking outside the KNP and more than 25 major investigations were undertaken across the country.