South Africa: Rhinos Killed Between 2007-2012

 

The 2012 rhino death toll in South Africa continues to soar, as the latest figures released by the country’s Department of Environmental Affairs show that at least 227 of the pachyderms have been massacred.

Over half of the killings — 137 of them — have occurred in Kruger National Park, with Limpopo Province the next hotspot at 31. North West and KwaZulu have each lost 23 rhinos to the illegal trade.

Regarding arrests, 148 have been made, although no “kingpins” have been nabbed this year.

According to the department, of the 148 arrests made, 131 were at the level of poacher, 10 were receivers/couriers, six couriers/buyers and one was an exporter.

Mpumalanga has the most arrests with 44, followed by the Kruger National Park with 38; Limpopo had 19 arrests, North West 16, Gauteng 14 and KZN 10 arrests.

The primary destinations for rhino horn leaving the African continent are Vietnam and China.

The preliminary results of an ongoing investigation by Education for Nature Vietnam (ENV) suggest that a “strong desire to flaunt new money” may be an important driver of the rhino horn trade.

Source: http://www.rhinoconservation.org (http://s.tt/1cSjZ)