South Africa’s rhino death toll could top 600 before year’s end, as the figure has now reached 588 rhinos killed in 2012.
The Department of Environmental Affairs reports that 362 rhinos were butchered in Kruger National Park, where 67 arrests have been made this year.
Three provinces collectively account for 186 rhinos killed.
In KwaZulu-Natal, 59 rhinos were slaughtered and 25 people have been arrested for rhino crimes; 36 people were arrested in Limpopo province, where 52 rhinos were killed. And in the North West, 75 rhinos were massacred and 32 people were arrested. Editor’s note 11/29/2012: The number of people arrested in the North West has been updated to 32 in 2012.
Rhishja Cota
I am the founder of Annamiticus and I have been researching and writing about wildlife trafficking issues since 2009. I also founded World Pangolin Day in 2012. I am the author of USAID Wildlife Asia's Pangolin Species Identification Guide: A Rapid Assessment Tool for Field and Desk. I co-facilitated and was a presenter at the USAID Wildlife Asia Pangolin Care Workshop. At the 4th Regional Dialogue on Combating Trafficking of Wild Fauna and Flora, I facilitated the species roundtables on pangolins. I have trekked with forest rangers in Cambodia, journeyed to the streets of Hanoi to research the illegal wildlife trade, and to the rainforests of Sumatra and Java to document the world’s rarest rhinos. At CITES meetings, I collaborate with colleagues from around the world to lobby in favor of protecting endangered species. I hosted the Behind the Schemes podcast and am the author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine. I enjoy music, desert gardening, herping, reading, creating, and walking with my dogs. Check out my t-shirts and stickers at snoots + teefers.