Africa reports record level of rhino poaching in 2023

Key takeaways: 

• Officials state that the number of threatened rhinos poaching in Namibia the previous year was the highest on record and nearly twice as many as the year before.

Rhino poaching activity in Africa increases: 

A sum of 87 cases of rhino poaching were reported compared with 45 in 2021, official government data reveals.

Officials state that most were poached in Etosha, Namibia’s largest national park.

The number of Rhinos in Africa has fallen significantly in recent decades to satisfy the demand for rhino horns in China and Vietnam.

Poachers slaughtered 61 black and 26 white rhinos, especially in Etosha, where 46 rhinos were seen dead, Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism representative Romeo Muyunda said.

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“We see with serious concern that our flagship national park, Etosha National Park, is a poaching hotspot,” Mr Muyunda said.

International criminal gangs now use sophisticated equipment to track and tranquilise the animals before hacking off the horn, leaving them bleeding to death.

Poaching in South Africa and Botswana has directed wildlife teams to see off the rhino funnels to keep them alive.

For many years, rhino horn has been used in standard Chinese treatment despite there being no proven medical benefit.

Poaching is even being fuelled by the need in Vietnam, where horns are shown as a sign of wealth.

The most threatened are the black rhino, with only over 5,000 still alive.

Nevertheless, Namibia’s elephant poaching has fallen from 101 in 2015 to four last year.