Pretoria - So far 749 rhinos have been killed by poachers this year, but the death toll could have been worse had it not been for key interventions by rangers and law-enforcement agents, Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa said on Sunday.
The Kruger National Park remains the worst hit: of the 749 rhino poached countrywide this year to date, 544 were killed there.
Last year a total of 716 rhinos were killed in South Africa, and 459 of those were poached in the Kruger National Park.
But these rhino death statistics come against a 27 percent increase of would-be poachers entering the 2 million hectare park this year: there were 1 617 of what the government calls “identified poacher activities”, or three a day.
“The poaching situation really is not a cause for despondency. However, were it not for the interventions… (it) could be far worse,” said Molewa, adding that various government-wide co-ordinated efforts are paying off. Arrests for poaching and related crimes are up – there were 138 this year, compared to 81 last year – and conviction rates rose to 94.7 percent this year, up from 86 percent last year, Police Minister Nkosinathi Nhleko said.
Upcoming cases, including one with 11 accused on 1 850 charges of racketeering, he said, showed the focus was now on “the big guys” behind rhino poaching and rhino horn smuggling.
Jail terms imposed ranged from three years to 15 years’ jail time on charges from trespassing, racketeering, illegal possession and/or trading in rhino horn and illegal possession of firearms, he added.
On Sunday it was announced that the Environmental Affairs Department’s Green Scorpions would be deployed in KwaZulu-Natal – at King Shaka International Airport, Durban harbour and the KSIA and Golela border posts.
A full team of Green Scorpions, customs and border police officials is already working at Joburg’s OR Tambo International Airport, where cargo handlers have also been trained in the detection of illegal consignments.
“The work that we are doing benefits the world,” said Molewa.
She added that the government’s biodiversity economy strategy, to be launched at an upcoming indaba, would strengthen communities’ participation in conservation – and this was “one of the greatest hopes” in the fight against poaching.
The strategy aims to provide alternative sustainable livelihoods and inclusive economic opportunities for communities, particularly those near game and park reserves.
“Communities now more than ever play a role in the preservation of our national resources,” the minister said.
Next month South African National Parks (SANParks) will conduct a new rhino survey. Last year the rhino population in the Kruger National Park was recorded at between 8 001 and 9 290 animals, according to the department.
Elsewhere in South Africa, there are 4 400 white rhinos in provincial game reserves and 5 300 in private reserves, according to the African Rhino Specialist Group of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
There are a total of 1 916 black rhino in South Africa, according to SANParks.
Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula said the government efforts against rhino poaching were bearing fruit.
“On behalf of the security cluster, there really is significant progress being made in this area of work.
“If you compare from 2012, when we saw the rise of rhino poaching in South Africa, you will realise that South Africa has developed a well-integrated approach to this challenge,” she said.
“From our side, as the government, we are very optimistic that we will be able to, maybe not to curb it, it is a very different matter…
“Indeed we have developed a multi-pronged strategy to deal with this whole challenge… so we are trying our best.
“We are not saying it’s perfect but we believe we have made a very good beginning,” Mapisa-Nqakula said.
Pretoria News