South Africa announces rhino poaching stats down slightly for 2017.

TimesLIVE reported a decrease of poaching rates in the Kruger National Park has been marred by increases in other provinces‚ coupled with a sharp rise in elephant poaching.

Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa said on Thursday a total of 1‚028 rhino were poached in South Africa from 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2017‚ compared to 1‚054 in the same period for 2016‚ representing a decrease of 26 animals,  South Africa’s second-biggest news website reported.

At the Kruger National Park‚ which has traditionally borne the brunt of poaching‚ a total of 504 rhino rhinos were poached in 2017. This is 24% less than 2016.

Fewer poaching activities in the park were also recorded‚ with a total of 2‚662 incidents in 2017 compared with 2‚883 in 2016‚ she said in a statement.

“Whilst there has been a decrease in the number of rhino killed for their horns in the Kruger National Park‚ the number of rhino poached unfortunately increased in KwaZulu-Natal‚ Northern Cape‚ Mpumalanga‚ Free State and North West.

For more on the story clik on the Times Live story