South Africa lost 333 rhino to poachers in 2010

SANParks Chief Executive Officer Dr David Mabunda told the media today (11 Jan 2011) that South Africa lost 333 rhino with 162 suspected poachers having been arrested in relation to the crime in 2010.
The worst hit areas in the country in 2010 were:

• Kruger National Park with 146 rhinos lost
• North West province with 57 rhino lost
• Limpopo province with 52 rhino lost
• KwaZulu-Natal province with38 rhino lost

Whereas SANParks lost 146 rhino in Kruger NP, the Provincial Conservation Authorities put together clocked 105 rhino whilst private game reserve owners lost 82 rhinos. Of the 333 rhino lost throughout the country white rhino comprised 323 of the animals poached and 10 black rhino.
The country is currently home to about 19400 white rhino, of which between 9000 and 12000 of them are found in Kruger, and 1678 black rhinos. The white rhino population in the country is growing at a rate of between 3% and 6%, whilst the black rhino population is growing at 3%. In the Kruger National Park alone natural mortalities in the rhino populations for males accounted for 1.7% and females 0.7% and with the inclusion of poaching figures it was at 3% for males and 2.1% for females in 2010.
In the full year 162 people linked to the crime at various levels were arrested, ranging from actual poachers to couriers and kingpins. Five suspected poachers died during encounters with rangers on patrol in Kruger National Park and one in the North West Province. [src. sanparks.com]