South Africa: Rhino killings on the rise again!

South Africa's Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Ms Barbara Creecy, has announced that South Africa has seen an increase in rhino poaching in the first six months of 2021. From January 2021 to the end of June 2021, a total of 249 rhino have been poached for their horn in South Africa. While this is higher than the number of rhino killed for their horns in the same period last year, at 166, it is less than the 318 rhino that were poached in the first six months of 2019. According to the Minister, the national lockdowns to curb the spread of Covid-19 in 2020 contributed to a decrease in rhino poaching in that year. The lifting of the stringent lockdown regulations in South Africa now seems to lead to an uptick in poaching activity in the country.
During the first six months of 2021, Kruger National Park experienced 715 poacher activities, an increase of 3.77% in comparison to the number in 2020, which was 689 for the same period. From January 2021 to end of June 2021, 132 rhino were poached for their horns in the Kruger National Park. One elephant was poached for its ivory in the Kruger National Park during this period.
From January to June 2021, 40 alleged poachers were arrested within the Kruger National Park. A total of 125 people have been arrested for rhino poaching and rhino horn trafficking across South Africa in the past six months.

Noticeable increased poacher pressure has been experienced in Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the the Free State. The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment is also monitoring the increased pressure seen on private rhino reserves in South Africa and is collaborating closely with the private sector which continues to play a significant role in rhino protection. During the same reporting period (01 January to 30 June) over the last three years, losses in private parks in South Africa constituted 15% of the total reported loss in 2019, 9% in 2020 and 30% so far in 2021.

South Africa has released rhino & elephant poaching statistics for 2020!

South Africa's Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries has released the rhino and elephant poaching numbers for 2020. According to the Department, a total of 394 rhino were poached for their horn in South Africa in 2020. This is 33% less than the 594 killed in 2019, and marks the sixth year that rhino poaching has continued to decrease in the country. A total of 16 elephants were poached for their ivory in the Kruger National Park during 2020, a decrease of 48.39% compared to the 31 killed in South African National Parks (Kruger National Park and Marakele National Park) in 2019.

From January to December 2020, 66 alleged poachers were arrested within the Kruger National Park.  A total of 90 people were arrested for rhino poaching and rhino horn trafficking outside Kruger National Park, and more than 25 major investigations were undertaken across South Africa.

Namibia released rhino & elephant poaching statistics for 2020! [update]

update (08 February 2021): According to an article in "The Namibian" (online edition; 05 February 2021), Namibia recorded a total of 31 rhinos poached in 2020 compared to 52 in 2019.

Namibia's Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MET) has released the rhino and elephant poaching numbers for 2020. According to Romeo Muyunda, Chief Public Relations Officer at the MET, a total of 30 rhinos and eleven elephants got illegally killed by poachers in Namibia in 2020, compared to compared to 50 (54?) rhinos and 13 (12?) elephants that lost their lives to poaching activities during 2019.
Namibia is home to a third of the entire remaining population of back rhino on the planet and the second largest white rhino population in the world after South Africa. The country also has the largest population of black rhinos in protected areas and the largest free roaming black rhino population in the world.

Namibia has increased fines for poaching to N$25 million from N$200,000 and prison sentences have risen to 25 years from 20.

Namibia: New rhino and elephant poaching figures!

According to Namibia's Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MET), the country has lost 23 rhinos and two elephants to poaching since the beginning of 2020. A total of 46 rhinos and 13 elephants got illegally killed by poachers in Namibia in 2019, compared to 57 rhinos and 26 elephants that lost their lives to poaching activities during 2018.
Namibia is home to the largest population of black rhino of the subspecies Diceros bicornis bicornis in the world. Approximately 93% of the total population of this taxon are found in the country (as of 31 December 2020). 

 

Namibia hosts a third of the entire remaining population of back rhino on the planet and the second largest white rhino population in the world after South Africa. The country also has the largest population of black rhinos in protected areas and the largest free roaming black rhino population in the world.  
Between 2012 and 2018, the black rhino (diceros bicornis) population across Africa has grown at a modest annual rate of 2.5% from an estimated 4,845 to 5,630 animals in the wild, respectively.

Mozambique has inaugurated a new national park in the Manica Province!

Mozambique has transformed the Chimanimani National Reserve, located in Manica Province in the west of the country, into a National Park as part of the Government's efforts to protect the ecosystem, biodiversity, flora and water resources of the Chimanimani mountain range. The new Chimanimani National Park (PNC) covers an area of 2,300km² and is the only habitat in the world for at least 73 species of plants and a number of rare mammals. According to a statement by Mozambique's Ministry of Land Environment and Rural Development, the new National Park is one of the few areas in the world where mountain elephants are found. Chimanimani National Park (PNC) forms part of the Trans-Frontier Chimanimani Conservation Area (Mozambique/Zimbabwe) and is considered as a historical landmark.

Botswana: The cause of mysterious elephant deaths has been identified!

Botswana's Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) has announced that the cause of mysterious elephant deaths in the country has been identified. According to the DWNP, neurotoxin producing cyanobacteria species in pans are behind the death of some 330 elephants. Most deaths have been reported near the village of Seronga in the north of the Okavango Delta. Approximately 70% of the carcasses have been found near pans. The mortality stopped towards the end of June 2020, coinciding with the drying of pans. Other animals in the Okavango Delta appeared unharmed. The Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) will continue to investigate eg why only elephants were affected and why all death appeared in that area of Botswana. We'll keep you posted!

Photo by Alex on Unsplash

 

Namibia: New rhino and elephant poaching figures!

According to Namibia's Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MET), the country has lost 17 rhinos and two elephants to poaching since the beginning of 2020. A total of 46 rhinos and 12 elephants got illegally killed by poachers in Namibia in 2019, compared to 57 rhinos and 26 elephants that lost their lives to poaching activities during 2018.  
Namibia has the second largest population of white rhinos in the world after South Africa and, according to Save the Rhino, it holds one-third of the world’s remaining black rhinos.

Namibia: New poaching figures!

According to the spokesperson of Namibia's Ministry of Environment, Forestry & Tourism (MET), Romeo Muyunda, the number of poaching cases between January 2020 and May 2020 has dropped by 50% compared to the same period last year. Namibia has lost 13 animals to illegal poaching since January 2020, while the country recorded 26 poaching cases during the first five months of 2019.
Namibia has the second largest population of white rhinos in the world after South Africa and, according to Save the Rhino, it holds one-third of the world’s remaining black rhinos.

Namibia: New rhino and elephant poaching figures!

According to Namibia's Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MET), the country has lost eleven rhinos and one elephant to poaching since the beginning of 2020. The poaching took place in Etosha National Park as welll as inside private owned farms.
A total of 45 rhinos and 12 elephants got illegally killed by poachers in Namibia in 2019, compared to 57 rhinos and 26 elephants that lost their lives to poaching activities during 2018. Namibia has the second largest population of white rhinos in the world after South Africa and, according to Save the Rhino, it holds one-third of the world’s remaining black rhinos.

Namibia: New rhino and elephant poaching figures!

According to Namibia's Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, the country has lost nine rhinos and one elephant to poaching since the beginning of 2020. The poaching took place inside private owned farms and in Namibia's National Parks.
A total of 45 rhinos and 12 elephants got illegally killed by poachers in Namibia in 2019, compared to 57 rhinos and 26 elephants that lost their lives to poaching activities during 2018. Namibia has the second largest population of white rhinos in the world after South Africa and, according to Save the Rhino, it holds one-third of the world’s remaining black rhinos.

South Africa released rhino & elephant poaching statistics for 2019!

South Africa's Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Ms Barbara Creecy, has released the rhino poaching numbers for 2019. According to the Minister, a total of 594 rhinos got illegally killed by poachers in South Africa in 2019. This is a decrease of 175 rhino compared to 2018 when 769 rhinos were killed for their horns. Out of the 594 killed rhinos, a total of 327 rhinos were poached in the Kruger National Park.

From January to December 2019, 178 alleged poachers were arrested within Kruger National Park. At a national level, 332 arrests were effected in respect of both rhino poaching and rhino horn trafficking and in excess of 57 major investigations were undertaken across the country. A total of 85 firearms were recovered during the year.

Provinces and National Parks	2017	2018	2019
South African National Parks (SANParks)	504	422	328
Gauteng	4	2	5
Limpopo	79	40	45
Mpumalanga	49	51	34
North West	96	65	32
Eastern Cape	12	19	2
Free State	38	16	11
Northern Cape	24	12	4
KwaZulu-Natal	222	142	133
Western Cape	0	0	0
Total	1028	769	594

With regard to elephant poaching, South Africa's Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries reports that 31 elephant have been poached in South Africa in 2019 – 30 animals in Kruger National Park and 1 in Mapungubwe National Park. This is a decrease in the number of elephant poached in 2018, when 71 were killed for their tusks.

Namibia released rhino & elephant poaching statistics for 2019!

Namibia's Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) has released the rhino and elephant poaching numbers for 2019. According to the MET, a total of (at least) 45 rhinos and 12 elephants got illegally killed by poachers in Namibia in 2019. In 2018, a total of 57 rhinos and 26 elephants were poached, while 120 suspected poachers were arrested.Namibia has the second largest population of white rhinos in the world after South Africa and, according to Save the Rhino, it holds one-third of the world’s remaining black rhinos.

 

South Africa: New tusker in Addo Elephant National Park!

South African National Parks (SANParks) has introduced a new tusker to Addo Elephant National Park in South Africa's Eastern Cape. The male elephant is 35 years old, has a shoulder height of 3.18m and tusks measuring an impressive 1.39m from the lip out. His weight is estimated at about six tonnes. Tembe is the first of three bulls which will be brought in as a donation from Tembe Elephant Park in KwaZulu-Natal. The Tembe elephants are known for the size of their tusks and are genetically diverse from the Addo elephants, making them ideal for improving the genetic diversity within Addo's elephant population of about 600 animals. According to Addo Park Manager, Nick de Goede, the other two bulls are expected to be introduced into Addo Elephant National Park before the end of the year.

Namibia: New rhino and elephant poaching figures! [update]

update (24 July 2019): According to Namibia's "Allgemeine Zeitung", two poached rhinos have been discovered in Etosha National Park. This brings the number of illegally killed rhinos to 23 in 2019, while a total of eight elephants have been poached since January 2019.

According to the latest poaching statistics by Namibia's Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET), the country has lost 19 rhinos and 7 elephants to illegal poaching since the beginning of 2019. In May 2019, the MET recorded 18 incidents in which eight animals were killed. Most poaching incidents took place on private and custodian farms. Six poaching incidents were recorded in Etosha National Park and Waterberg Plateau Park. In 2018, a total of 57 rhinos and 26 elephants were poached in Namibia while a total of 120 suspected poachers were arrested.

Botswana lifts ban on hunting! [update]

update (24 May 2019): The Government of Botswana has released more details regarding the hunting suspension.

• Hunting will be allowed on a small, strictly controlled basis, with fewer than 400 elephant licenses to be granted annually, as has been approved by CITES.
• Priority will be given to Community Based Organizations (CBOs) and Trusts in allocation of hunting quotas (over 50% of quota to be given to CBOs and Trusts).
• Hunting will be re-instated only in designated Concession Hunting Areas (CHAs.)
• There will be equitable distribution of citizen hunting quota.
• Citizen hunting license shall not be transferable.
• An effective hunting quota allocation system shall be developed based on science.
• Animals to be included in the hunting quota shall be those currently reflected in Schedule 7 of the Wildlife and National Parks Act of 1992.
• Special game license will not be re-instated due to existence of other government social safety nets to cover for such. [src.]

The Government of Botswana has lifted its ban on hunting. According to a statement on Facebook by the country's Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism, the decision to lift the hunting suspension follows extensive consultations with all stakeholders, including local authorities, affected communities, NGO's, tourism businesses, conservationists, researchers and other stakeholders. 

The Government of Botswana established a Cabinet Sub Committee on Hunting Ban Social Dialogue in June 2018, through which the suspension of hunting in Botswana was reviewed. Some of the findings of the Cabinet Sub Committee on Hunting Ban and Social Dialogue were as follows:

1. The number and high levels of human-elephant conflict and the consequent impact on livelihoods was increasing;
2. Predators appear to have increased and were causing a lot of damage as they kill livestock in large numbers;
3. There is a negative impact of the hunting suspension on livelihoods, particularly for community based organisations that were previously benefiting from consumptive utilisation;
4. The lack of capacity within the Department of Wildlife and National Parks leads to long response time to problem animal control reports; and
5. The general consensus from those consulted was that the hunting ban should be lifted.
   

On the basis of these issues, the Government of Botswana has reflected and assessed the recommendations, and lifted the suspension. Hunting of wildlife in in all controlled hunting areas in Botswana was banned with effect from January 2014. We'll keep you posted!

South Africa released rhino & elephant poaching statistics for 2018!

South Africa's Minister of Environmental Affairs, Ms Nomvula Mokonyane, has released the rhino poaching numbers for 2018. According to the Minister, a total of 769 rhinos got illegally killed by poachers in South Africa in 2018. This is a decrease of 259 rhino compared to 2017 when 1 028 rhino were killed for their horns. It is also the first time in 5 years that the annual figure is under 1000. Out of the 769 killed rhinos, a total of 421 rhino were poached in the Kruger National Park. One rhino was poached in the Marakele National Park. From 01 January to 31 December 2018, a total of 365 alleged rhino poachers and 36 alleged rhino horn traffickers were arrested in South Africa. A total of 229 alleged poachers were arrested inside and adjacent to the Kruger National Park, 40 more than the 189 arrested in 2017. There are currently 318 rhino poaching-related cases on the court roll involving 645 accused and 897 charges. 275 of these cases are trial-ready.

A total of 71 elephants were poached in the Kruger National Park between 1 January and 31 December 2018. One elephant was killed in KwaZulu-Natal which brings the total for South Africa to 72 elephant for 2018.

Namibia released rhino & elephant poaching statistics for 2018!

Namibia's Minister of Environment and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, has released the rhino and elephant poaching numbers for 2018. According to the Minister, a total of (at least) 57 rhinos and 26 elephants got illegally killed by poachers in Namibia in 2018. 120 suspected poachers were arrested in 2018. (At least) One rhino was reported poached so far this year.
 

Earlier this month Namibia's Deputy Minister of Environment and Tourism, Bernadette Jagger, revealed that Namibia has lost an average of 50 rhinos annually to poaching since 2015. According to the Deputy Minister, despite the onslaught of poaching, the white and black rhino population of the country has preserved and continues to grow. The black rhino population in Namibia currently exceeds 2 000 species, and the white population currently stands at 1 000 animals.

South Africa: New rhino and elephant poaching figures!

According to the latest statistics released by the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA), South Africa has lost at least 508 rhinos to illegal poaching between 01 January 2018 and 31 August 2018 (January - August 2017 = 691). Out of the 508 rhinos poached, at least 292 rhinos (2017: 332) got illegally killed by poachers in Kruger National Park. 163 rhinos were poached in KwaZulu-Natal between 01 January and 31 August 2017, while this year's number stands at "only" 83. The provincial and national breakdown for the period 01 January to 30 August 2018 is as follows:

• Kruger National Park - 292 (2017: 332) rhinos
• Gauteng - 0 (3) rhino
• Limpopo - 25 (54) rhinos
• Mpumalanga - 38 (31) rhinos
• North West - 50 (56) rhinos
• Eastern Cape - 13 (4) rhinos
• Free State - 4 (28) rhinos
• Northern Cape - 3 (19) rhinos
• KwaZulu-Natal - 83 (163) rhinos
• Western Cape - 0 (0) rhino

A total of 13 wildlife traffickers (5 Chinese nationals and eight South Africans) were arrested between 01 January and 31 August 2018. More than 60,92kg of rhino horn was confiscated and linked to poaching crime scenes in KwaZulu-Natal and the Northern Cape. For Kruger National Park, the number of arrests of alleged poachers stands at 162 for the period 01 January 2018 to 31 August 2018. A total of 145 weapons have been seized in rhino-related incidents both inside and outside Kruger National Park since the beginning of 2018; and a total of 83 rhino horn confiscated in the same period.

A total of 58 elephants were poached in the Kruger National Park between 01 January and 31 August 2018.

De Beers Group to move 200 elephants from South Africa to Mozambique!

Diamond producer De Beers Group and the Peace Parks Foundation, a leading not-for-profit organisation focused on the preservation of large functional cross-border ecosystems, have begun to move 200 elephants from Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve (VLNR) in South Africa to Mozambique. During the first phase of the project, approximately 60 elephants will be transported in July 2018 and August 2018 from the VLNR to Zinave National Park in central Mozambique. The remaining approximately 140 elephants will be moved to conservation areas that hold sufficient elephant carrying capacity within Mozambique from 2019.

ICYMI: we’re moving 200 elephants from #SouthAfrica to #Mozambique to protect the welfare of one country’s wildlife and rebuild the elephant population of another #MovingGiants pic.twitter.com/mB2JtUHfsD

— De Beers Group (@debeersgroup) July 24, 2018

De Beers-owned Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve (VLNR), which is located about 80 km from Musina im Limpopo and forms part of Mapungubwe National Park, covers an area of 320km². It can accommodate around 60 elephants without causing extensive damage to the Nature Reserve's ecosystem. As a result of natural population growth, VLNR is currently home to 270 elephants. The elephant population in Mozambique's Zinave National Park, which covers an area of 4080km², is estimated to be around only 60 animals. The elephant population in Mozambique was badly hit by a 15-year civil war that ended in 1992. In more recent years, elephants in the country are threatened with extinction because of poaching. 

Botswana: New elephant poaching figures!

According to the latest poaching statistics by Botswana's Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP), the country has lost 62 elephants in 2017/18 to illegal poaching activities compared with 42 elephants in 2016/17. There has also been an increase in trafficking of elephant tusks - based on numbers of tusks recovered, 109 tusks have been trafficked in 2017/2018 (as of end of February) compared with 48 in 2016/2017. Elephants are mostly poached in the Linyanti and Shaile areas along Botswana's border with Namibia.