A shocking 488 rhinos have been slaughtered in South Africa since the start of 2012, and the death toll could surpass 500 before the end of the year.
South Africa’s Department of Environmental Affairs notes that 296 of these rhinos were killed in Kruger National Park, with KwaZulu-Natal, the North West, and Limpopo collectively accounting for 158 rhino deaths. So far this year, a total of 214 people have been arrested for rhino crimes in South Africa.
See also:
- CITES CoP16: No Rhino Horn Trade Proposal from South Africa
- ‘Legal’ Trade in Rhino Horn is an Old Agenda, Not a New Solution
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.