SA rhino poaching numbers lowest since 2020
There has been a decrease in the number of rhino poaching incidents in state-owned parks, farms and privately-owned reserves around the country.
Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment Dion George announced the 2024 rhino poaching statistics on Thursday.
From January to December 2024, 420 rhinos were illegally killed in South Africa.
Of these, 320 were killed on state properties and 100 on privately owned parks, reserves or farms.
George said this was a decrease of 79 rhinos killed compared to the 499 poached in 2023.
"The hardest-hit province continues to be KwaZulu-Natal that lost 232 rhinos. However, this is a notable decline from the 325 that were lost in 2023. The significant reduction can largely be attributed to the Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife dehorning programme that was implemented in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park from April to October 2024.
"The World Wide Fund for Nature funded programme had an immediate impact, with monthly poaching numbers dropping from 35 in April to fewer than 10 per month between May and September 2024.
"In October, however, poaching syndicates adapted their tactics and began targeting dehorned rhinos, leading to a sudden spike in poaching incidents in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park and in that month alone, the province lost 27 rhinos. Fortunately, the provincial anti-rhino poaching team responded swiftly, intercepting the new syndicate and preventing further losses. The considerable efforts resulted in the province ultimately achieving a 67% decline in rhino poaching over the eight months.
"Kruger National Park reported a total of 88 poached rhinos for 2024. This is ten animals more than the 78 that were reported for Kruger National Park during the same period in 2023. Up until the end of November 2024, rhino losses reported in the Kruger National Park stood at 67, but a significant escalation in rhino poaching activities was experienced during December 2024, and this has continued into January 2025."
In February, KNP Regional Ranger Bruce Leslie confirmed that over 30 rhinos had been poached in the park between January and February 2025.
"In 2025, from January to today (18 February), we've lost 35 rhinos since the beginning of the year, and it's a real concern to us. The sudden increase in rhino poaching can be attributed to several factors; one is demand and the high value of the product on the international market. So the transnational crime challenges come into play.
"The effect on the Mozambique situation may or may not influence it, I suspect it will have an influence to some degree, and so that is also of concern to us, and really what we are trying to say is we are looking at figures that were starting to take place in 2019. "
George added that SANParks and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife continued to implement a number of initiatives to counter the threats of rhino poaching in hotspot areas.
The initiatives include the polygraph testing of staff at the Kruger National Park.
"To date, investigations that have flowed from these polygraph results and subsequent investigations into the individuals have resulted in disciplinary action against two employees in Ranger Services at Kruger National Park,” said George.
At the same time, Leslie pleaded with communities to assist the park with reporting any rhino poaching-related activities.
"We really need to encourage people to help and bring forward information on any poaching syndicates from community level to international level who need help, and we are appealing to conservation agencies and law enforcement to help and assist.
"We have a very good relationship with the Hawks, and we are rolling out a lot of technology in different spaces like the camera systems that are on the roads, other technologies of more strategic value, and obviously the development and support of our staff and personnel in the field."
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