Successful interventions mean a decrease of over 15% compared to 2023
In a welcome development, Dr Dion George, the Minister for the South African Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment has announced that 420 rhinos were illegally killed in the country during 2024. This marks a >15% decrease from 2023, when 499 rhinos were poached.
Following the release of the new figures, our CEO, Dr Jo Shaw, shared, “The welcome decline in the number of rhinos illegally killed in South Africa in 2024 is testament to the tireless efforts of conservationists and law enforcement agencies. It shows that the long-term targeted investments into activities such as dehorning operations, ranger support and crime investigations, are having tangible impacts.
Rhino poaching is not merely the work of opportunistic criminals; it is part of a complex web of illicit networks that span national and continental borders. The people involved undertake different forms of illegal activities, from tracking and killing rhinos in protected areas to smuggling their horns and sourcing global buyers. Disrupting these intricate networks requires multifaceted approaches and international partnerships. Recent arrests and successful prosecutions in South Africa and other key rhino countries such as Zimbabwe and Indonesia, underscore the importance of global collaboration to combat the illegal wildlife trade.
Dr Shaw added, “Organised crime remains a serious threat to rhinos, other wildlife and the people who protect and live alongside them. Syndicates continually adapt their tactics and areas of focus, and co-ordination is key to ensure can get ahead. International collaboration and sustained investment into best practise tools, including anti-money laundering investigations, are needed to dismantle the dangerous criminal networks involved.
Strong convictions, such as the eighteen-year sentence achieved through forensic financial investigations under Project Blood Orange, send a powerful message that tackling wildlife trafficking also disrupts other serious crimes, including human and drug trafficking. “We must keep up the pressure to protect rhinos and derail the organised crime cartels profiting from this crisis,” Dr Shaw emphasised.
KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) remains the hardest-hit Province, although recent interventions have contributed to a reduction in poaching losses. Responding to the intense threat from organised crime in recent years, several reserves in KZN have dehorned their rhino populations. Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park (HiP) began its dehorning strategy in April 2024 with support from WWF South Africa. Whilst dehorning alone is insufficient to protect rhino populations, this initiative combined with other efforts, has been crucial in achieving a poaching decline of nearly 30% in KZN compared to the previous year, with 232 rhinos poached in the province in 2024.
In November this year, South Africa, alongside other rhino countries, will come together at the 2025 CITES Conference of the Parties (CoP). The meeting, which will include delegates from 183 countries, aims to amplify international efforts to tackle illegal trade in endangered species. Ahead of the meeting, it’s expected that the latest population numbers and poaching figures for all five rhino species will be shared. The meeting will provide a deep dive into the impact of current strategies aiming to protect rhinos from illegal international trade.
We look forward to working with colleagues around the world to share and build upon approaches that bring the biggest benefits for rhinos, their landscapes, and the people living in and around them.