The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) African Rhino Specialist Group (AfRSG) released an updated report on African rhino populations showing that threats to rhinos from transnational crime networks remain high, despite the brief pause brought on by pandemic-era lockdowns.
A press release by the World Wildlife Fund South Africa has broken down the numbers, reporting that on a continental scale, the threat of illegal wildlife trade in rhino horn to African rhinos has declined to a 2.3% poaching rate of the total population from a peak of 5.3% in 2015.
In a positive step, between 2018 and 2021, overall numbers of the critically endangered black rhino increased at a rate of 3% per annum to 6 200 animals in Africa. However, numbers of white rhinos have seen a concerning decline of around 3.1% annually, with currently an estimated 16 000 animals remaining at the end of last year.
The IUCN report noted that the declining white rhino populations predominantly occur in the large state-managed protected areas in South Africa, which may suggest that smaller, private game reserves may be safer for rhinos than the immense government reserves, which may be more difficult to monitor.
The total estimated number of rhinos in Africa was 22 137 rhinos at the end of 2021. These latest figures show an overall decline in rhino numbers on the continent, from 23 562 at the last report in 2017.
These findings describe the global status of rhinos, which has been submitted to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) ahead of the 19th Conference of Parties (CoP19), which will take place in Panama in November 2022.
WWF-SA said that the IUCN Specialist Group highlighted that rhino populations which are co-managed through partnerships between local people, the private sector and state agencies are performing better than those managed solely by state agencies and that this recognition of the importance of the role of local communities in biodiversity conservation in Africa echoes the Kigali Call to Action for People and Nature from the IUCN Africa Protected Areas Congress.
It is also notable that private ownership of rhinos increased to 53.2% of the South African national white rhino population, thanks to the sector’s significant and sustained investment in their protection.
African range states (countries which currently have natural rhino populations) recorded a total of 2 707 illegal killings of rhinos between 2018 and 2021, and South Africa continues to face the greatest threat, reporting 90% of these losses. Range states also reported 1 588 rhino-related arrests from 2018 to 2021, together with 751 prosecutions and 300 convictions.
Restrictions on movement and travel during 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic hampered the efforts of horn trafficking networks and all four of the major rhino range states – South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Kenya experienced lower poaching rates.
This respite has not lasted and, as Covid travel restrictions are lifted, there are concerning signs that rhino poaching is returning to near pre-pandemic levels. In particular, unconfirmed reports of continued poaching of rhinos in Botswana in 2021 remain a concern.
Dr Jo Shaw, WWF Africa rhino lead, said that “the news about increased black rhino numbers is encouraging, as it underscores the value of creating new habitat and growing numbers of rhinos and the need to continue to commit to these efforts in the future. We must support the partnerships required between State agencies, local communities, and the private sector to secure future range for rhinos and work towards broader conservation benefits for wildlife and people.”
WWF Wildlife practice leader, Dr Margaret Kinnaird, noted that “transnational organised crime networks and the corruption they create continue to threaten rhinos. These networks are a risk to the safety and security of wildlife and the people living around them and those working to conserve them."
Dr Kinnaird implored the continued targeted efforts to build resilience to corruption and to address the problem at its source in the form of illegal demand for rhino horn.
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