The globe’s five rhinoceros species are still severely threatened by poaching, and the situation in SA, a major custodian of the world’s rhinos, remains of grave concern, the International Rhino Foundation said.
The foundation also pinpointed shifts in the illegal trade driving rhino-horn poaching.
Previously, international trade hubs used to be Vietnam and China, but the foundation said in its latest population report that Mongolia, formerly part of the Soviet Union, and the Middle East nation of Qatar had emerged as the new frontrunners.
The executive director of the foundation, Nina Fascioni, said the report revealed a mixed bag for the wild rhinos of the world.
“The total global population of rhinos is approximately 26,700.
“The number of Indonesia’s Javan rhinos has dropped significantly due to poaching. Javan rhinos declined from an estimated 76 to approximately 50, due entirely to heavy poaching losses.
“The Sumatran rhino population remains essentially the same since the last estimates were issued in 2022, and is considered to be seriously imperilled.
“The Sumatran rhino population remains at an estimated 34-47.
“Greater one-horned rhino numbers increased marginally from 4,014 to 4,075, and the species is considered to be recovering.
“Black rhino numbers in Africa have increased, which is a win for this critically imperilled species. Black rhinos increased to 6,788 from the last count of 6,195.
“White rhino numbers show various trends, with increases in all range states except SA, where poaching caused a slight population decline.
“White rhinos have declined to 15,752 from 15,942, a drop of about 190 since the end of 2021 when numbers were last officially reported.”
Fascioni said it was clear most rhino species were still dangerously threatened by poaching.
“To truly save rhinos, we need to stem the poaching crisis and improve biological management to bolster individual populations.”
She said a key measure of rhino health was the size of the different herds or crashes within the broader populations.
“In this regard, one of the biggest concerns we see in the report is about SA, the country with the most of the world’s rhinos, and its median rhino population sizes — seven for white rhinos, and 11 for black rhinos.
“The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s African rhino specialist group recommends a minimum population of 20 individuals to maintain a viable population, though even that number could be too low.
“Larger populations are better able to withstand both poaching losses and natural disasters.”
She said the report also outlined the related trends in trade and trafficking of rhino horn.
“Globally, total seizures and weight of seizures have dropped, possibly due in part to the trimming of live rhinos’ horns to make them less targets for poaching gangs, which the foundation supports.
“However, the report also notes an emerging illegal rhino horn trade link between Mongolia and SA, and indicates Qatar as a growing hub of horn trafficking.”
Former Eastern Cape Green Scorpions director Dr Div de Villiers, who now serves on various environmental platforms, including the Game Rangers’ Association of Africa, said funding was a major issue.
“One of the biggest concerns is the continual reduction of the budget allocation for environmental affairs.
“This is especially true for the funding of the national and provincial environmental law enforcement units,” he said.
“The Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency budget is also hopelessly inadequate to enable the agency to effectively manage our provincial parks.
“Rhinos are therefore at risk inside and outside the Eastern Cape’s protected areas.
“It is largely through partnerships with the private sector and the volunteer honorary nature conservation officers that our province’s rhinos are being safeguarded.”
Mornay Viljoen, chair of the Integrated Wildlife Zone in the Eastern Cape — a private-public forum, comprising a wide range of entities, from private game reserves and conservation groups to the police and the provincial environment department — said communication was key to counter poaching.
“Our strength lies in eyes on the ground, and if our communication channels with the state can be improved, then we can strengthen that capacity still further. We are all fighting the same fight.”
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