There are an estimated 29,000 Rhino left in the wild, globally. Africa has 25,000, with around 20,000 in South Africa and 90% of the poaching in South Africa is in the Kruger Park. Of the 20,000 Rhinos in South Africa around 18,000 are White Rhino and the balance are Black Rhino.

The table below shows that 1004 Rhinos were killed by poachers in 2013. The birth rate of white Rhinos is estimated at around 6.8% (compound annual rate over a five year period  not an individual year’s growth rate which is more volatile) and around 5.6% for Black Rhinos. This means that an estimated 1250 to 1300 Rhinos are born in South Africa each year. A few percent need to be deducted for natural mortality. This year poachers are on track to slaughter over 1200 Rhinos in 2014 – dangerously close to the tipping point. Beyond this point the massive conservation gains achieved in rebuilding the Rhino population in South Africa and the dedicated hard work to achieve this gain by so many concerned and involved people will start to be undone.

Double click on the tables to see the underlying statistics from the ‘Stop Rhino Poaching’ website.

This interview on Classic FM on Thursday 17 July 2014 with Nigel Morgan on Rhino poaching was also enlightening and alarming.

I am using social media to create more outrage at this slaughter.

No one seems to think that having so many armed poaching gangs roaming around Kruger Park, one of SA’s premier tourist destinations, is a problem or a danger to our foreign and local tourists – hmmmmmm!!??!!