SA Sees Continued Decline in Rhino Poaching, Despite Challenges in Key Areas

Despite this progress, poaching syndicates quickly adapted their tactics, targeting dehorned rhinos, leading to a sudden spike in poaching cases in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park.

South Africa has reported a continued downward trend in rhino poaching, with the 2024 statistics showing that 420 rhinos were poached last year, a decline of 79 from the 499 recorded in 2023.

The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment, Dr. Dion George, acknowledged the progress made in the fight against wildlife poaching and praised the ongoing efforts of rangers, law enforcement agencies, and conservation organizations.

Key Statistics and Trends From January to December 2024, a total of 420 rhinos were poached in South Africa. Of these, 320 were killed on state-owned properties, while 100 were lost in privately managed reserves, parks, or farms.

KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) remained the hardest-hit province, losing 232 rhinos. However, this represents a significant decline from the 325 rhinos poached in 2023. The reduction is largely attributed to the Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Dehorning Programme, implemented from April to October 2024 in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park. The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)-funded initiative led to a drastic decrease in poaching incidents, with monthly cases dropping from 35 in April to fewer than 10 per month between May and September 2024.

Despite this progress, poaching syndicates quickly adapted their tactics, targeting dehorned rhinos, leading to a sudden spike in poaching cases in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park. In October alone, 27 rhinos were lost. However, swift action by the provincial anti-rhino poaching team resulted in the interception of these syndicates, preventing further losses and contributing to an overall 67% decline in poaching in the province over the eight-month period.

Kruger National Park Concerns Kruger National Park (KNP) reported an increase in rhino poaching cases, with 88 rhinos killed in 2024, compared to 78 in 2023. While poaching incidents remained relatively controlled until November 2024 (67 losses), December saw a sharp increase, with 21 rhinos poached, followed by 17 more in January 2025. The sudden rise in incidents within Kruger National Park has raised concerns among conservation authorities, prompting renewed efforts to enhance anti-poaching measures.

Strategic Anti-Poaching Measures Both South African National Parks (SANParks) and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife have intensified their anti-poaching initiatives, particularly in hotspot areas. Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife has been actively implementing its Rhino Guardianship Strategy, introduced in August 2024, which played a crucial role in reducing poaching numbers in the region.

Additional integrity measures were also rolled out:

• The Ezemvelo Integrity Implementation Plan was completed and approved for execution.
• Independent integrity assessments of Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park staff commenced.
• A Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park Integrity Management Plan was finalized.
• Polygraph testing of 55 Ezemvelo rhino reserve managers and 58 field staff was successfully conducted.

Legal Actions and Wildlife Trafficking Crackdown The government continues to secure significant convictions in rhino-related crimes, with many poachers and traffickers receiving long-term imprisonment sentences. However, delays in the judicial process and the release of suspects on bail remain areas of concern. Data suggests that a significant number of those granted bail continue to engage in poaching and illegal horn trafficking. The Minister emphasized the need for expedited case processing and stronger opposition to bail applications to protect South Africa’s rhino population effectively.

One major success in 2024 was the sentencing of Francis Kipampa, who was convicted as part of Project Blood Orange, a targeted investigation into organized wildlife crime. Kipampa was sentenced to 18 years in prison, with eight years suspended for five years. The conviction highlights the increasing focus on high-level players in the illegal wildlife trade, including financial crimes linked to rhino poaching.

National Integrated Strategy to Combat Wildlife Trafficking As South Africa moves into the second year of implementing the National Integrated Strategy to Combat Wildlife Trafficking, the government is strengthening partnerships with international authorities, private organizations, and NGOs. Key initiatives include:

• The Integrated Wildlife Zones Initiative to enhance cross-border enforcement.
• Collaboration with the South African Anti-Money Laundering Integrated Taskforce (SAMLIT) Illegal Wildlife Trade Task Force to target financial networks funding poaching operations.
• Strengthening of operational agreements and intelligence-sharing with transit and destination countries for illegal rhino horn trade.

Outlook for 2025 Minister George reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to fighting rhino poaching, emphasizing that increased collaboration, improved law enforcement, and adaptive conservation strategies will be key to sustaining the progress made in 2024.

“Our focus for 2025 should be on reinforcing international agreements, improving operational protocols, and ensuring that our law enforcement efforts continue to disrupt poaching syndicates at every level,” he stated.