Number of poached rhinos drops too slow

In South Africa, in 2017 less rhinos poached for their horns compared to 2016, but the number remains at a ‘worrying level for a species that is in danger of extinction’.

That says conservation WWF. That says to worry that the current trends in the illegal hunting of rhinos and the growing threats worsen for other species, but especially for local communities that criminal groups are exposed.

WWF cites the South African government statistics. Last year, as 1.028 rhinos killed. In 2016, there were 1.054 and in 2015 is still 1.175. In 2017 is the third year in a row listed with the poaching decreased, after the record of 1.215 of poached rhinos in 2014. The country is home to about 80 percent of the global neushoornpopulaties.

For Margaret Kinnaird, faunaspecialiste of WWF South Africa, is that news is encouraging, but the number still far too high. “We also have the difficulties to bring to the attention of people whose safety and livelihoods are threatened by the illegal trade in endangered species,” she says in a press release from the WWF.

‘To poaching and the detrimental effects it can have on the lives of rural communities, and animals in the wild to fight, we need more efforts to put an end to the corruption that this trade makes possible.’

She proposes that behavioural change is needed among consumers, especially in Asia, the demand for illegal products, such as the horn of the rhino to stop.

The rural people around protected areas will be affected by the illegal traffic, according to WWF. Local poachers are associated with cross-border networks of wild animals to target and focus their efforts more and more on areas outside the parks, where the risk control is less and the gains greater.”

In addition, warns the organization for a new threat. In Kruger National Park last year, so 67 elephants fired, against 46 in 2016. “A trend that must be followed to an escalation of olifantenstroperij to prevent, as previously observed for rhinos,” says WWF.