Nationally, some 558 rhino have been killed for their horns this year, with 157 suspects being arrested, according to the Department of Enviromental Affairs.
Outside Kruger National Park, rhino poaching has also increased compared to previous years with Limpopo experiencing 80 incidents; KwaZulu-Natal lost 48 animals; North West 37; and 24 in Mpumalanga. Ten rhinos were poached in the Eastern Cape, four in the Free State, three in Gauteng, one in the Western Cape and the Northern Cape suffered no losses.
South Africa – Arrests | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 |
KNP | 60 | 133 | 73 | 82 | 67 |
MNP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Gauteng (GP) | 6 | 10 | 26 | 16 | 10 |
Mpumalanga (MP) | 2 | 34 | 66 | 73 | 16 |
EC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 |
Limpopo | 38 | 70 | 34 | 34 | 36 |
NW | 11 | 26 | 32 | 21 | 2 |
FS | 0 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
KZN | 40 | 63 | 20 | 4 | 25 |
WC | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 |
NC | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 157 | 343 | 267 | 232 | 165 |
South Africa | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 |
KNP (SANParks) | 146 | 252 | 425 | 606 | 351 |
MNP (SANParks) | 0 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
GP | 15 | 9 | 1 | 8 | 3 |
Limpop | 52 | 74 | 59 | 114 | 80 |
MP | 17 | 31 | 28 | 92 | 24 |
NW | 57 | 21 | 77 | 87 | 37 |
EC | 4 | 11 | 7 | 5 | 10 |
FS | 3 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
KZN | 38 | 34 | 66 | 85 | 48 |
WC | 0 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
NC | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 333 | 448 | 668 | 1004 | 558 |