Rhino poaching flares up again after SA eases lockdown restrictions longbeachstar.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from longbeachstar.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
REFILE-Rhino poachers are back after South Africa eases lockdown restrictions Reuters 2 hrs ago
(clarifies poachers methods)
By Akhona Matshoba and Shafiek Tassiem
HOEDSPRUIT, South Africa, May 3 (Reuters) - Rhino poaching is on the rise again in South Africa since the government loosened coronavirus restrictions, following a year-long lull due to the pandemic, wildlife parks say.
The strict limits on travel, including international travel, imposed in March last year had the happy side effect of keeping poachers at bay. In 2020, 394 rhinos were poached, 30% fewer than the year before and the lowest yearly tally since 2011.
But then South Africa began easing international travel restrictions in November.
THE STANDARD
AFRICA
South Africa began easing international travel restrictions in November. [Reuters]
The strict limits on travel, including international travel, imposed in March last year had the happy side effect of keeping poachers at bay. In 2020, 394 rhinos were poached, 30 per cent fewer than the year before and the lowest yearly tally since 2011.
But then South Africa began easing international travel restrictions in November. Since November, December last year and into 2021, this landscape and particularly Kruger National Park has been experiencing serious numbers of rhino poaching incidents,” said Jo Shaw, the Africa Rhino Lead for WWF International Network.
Some reserves use dehorning as one of the methods to prevent armed poachers from taking advantage of easier cross-border travel. [Reuters]
Hoedspruit, South Africa: Rhino poaching is on the rise again in South Africa since the government loosened coronavirus restrictions, following a year-long lull due to the pandemic, wildlife parks say.
The strict limits on travel, including international travel, imposed in March last year had the happy side effect of keeping poachers at bay. In 2020, 394 rhinos were poached, 30 per cent fewer than the year before and the lowest yearly tally since 2011.
But then South Africa began easing international travel restrictions in November.
“Since November, December last year and into 2021, this landscape and particularly Kruger National Park has been experiencing serious numbers of rhino poaching incidents,” said Jo Shaw, the Africa Rhino Lead for WWF International Network.