Rhino killing rises in South Africa as 249 slaughtered in first half of the year

On Saturday, South Africa's environmental authorities reported a setback in attempts to save the country's rhinos, as the country commemorated World Ranger Day. Barbara Creecy, the minister of environment, forestry, and fisheries stated that from January to the end of June 2021, 249 rhinos were poached in South Africa for their horn.

This number is larger than the number of animals poached in the same time period in 2020. For much of that time, the country was under a strict curfew due to COVID-19. Authorities have noticed an increase in poaching activity as the lockdown limitations have been removed.

132 rhinos were slaughtered in The Kruger National Park

South Africa is fighting poaching gangs that operate in the country's massive national parks. The Kruger National Park, where 132 rhinos were slaughtered, accounted for a substantial percentage of the carnage. Rangers from the South African National Parks are fighting a low-level war against armed poaching groups operating across huge territories.

There have been some achievements in the fight against poaching using police, the army, and other specialist groups, according to South Africa's environmental ministry. So far this year, forty accused poachers have been apprehended in the Kruger National Park alone. Officials reported that there have been numerous rhino horn seizures in addition to the 125 arrests. There has also been a growing relationship with Southeast Asian countries, where criminal syndicates traffic a large amount of rhino horn. It is utilised in traditional medicines and other applications.

Scientists are trying to save northern white rhinos

Scientists are frantically trying to save the northern white rhino from extinction as South Africa continues to strive to save its imperiled southern white rhinos and critically endangered black rhinos. Three more embryos from the species have been successfully created, according to a group of worldwide specialists. The BioRescue Consortium, chaired by Thomas Hildebrandt of Germany's Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, has announced that they have 12 viable embryos.

The eggs were taken from one of Kenya's two remaining northern white rhinos. Despite the fact that the species is functionally extinct, embryos will be harvested every three to four months. Surrogates for those embryos will be southern white rhinos, who will give birth to northern white rhinos.