Zimbabwe lost over 750 rhinos by commercial poachers since 2000, claim experts

Zimbabwe has witnessed over 750 rhinos being killed by commercial poachers since 2000. The International Rhino Federation (IRT) has claimed this number by recently releasing new data on rhino poaching.

Susie Ellis and Kelly Russo, two local wildlife conservationists give detailed information in an article published in the African Conservation Telegraph elaborating the massive dwindle in the rhinoceros' figures over the years. They also mentioned how IRT has given their best in protecting one of the most critically endangered animal species in the world.

Susie Ellis and Kelly Russo mentioned in their article that runaway poaching had left the black rhino population in Zimbabwe at just 370 by 1993. After intensive anti-poaching efforts commenced in 1996, populations began to recover, reaching 435 individuals, All Africa reported.

They further said that black rhinos now number around 475 animals, which is a remarkable recovery considering Zimbabwe's erstwhile political and economic crises. But since the turn of the millennium, things have taken a turn for the worse, they emphasized. "As Zimbabwe declined in the early 2000s, poaching was initially a matter of survival and subsistence," the authors noted.

The commercial poachers target rhinoceros for its horn that sells for tens of thousands of dollars in the underground illegal wildlife markets, mainly in Asia where dubious cultural beliefs drive demand. By resorting to cyanide, poachers avoid the risk of a gunshot being overheard by rangers, attracting unsolicited attention.