Rhino Deaths Plunge in South Africa After Anti-Poaching Effort
- Number of rhinos killed by poachers falls for fifth year
- First death toll below 1,000 since 2012, government says
A pair of rhinos with their horns removed as an anti-poaching measure graze on a ranch in South Africa.
Photographer: Waldo Sweigers/Bloomberg
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South Africa, home to almost all of the world’s rhinoceroses, said the number of the animals killed by poachers plunged by 25 percent last year as it stepped up efforts to save the endangered species.
With 769 rhinos poached, it was the first year since 2012 that less than 1,000 of the animals were killed illegally, the Department of Environmental Affairs said in a statement. The animals are targeted for their horns, which are believed in Asia to help cure cancer and boost male virility. The horns are made of keratin, a hair-like substance. The number of rhino deaths peaked at 1,215 in 2014.