In celebration of World Ranger Day on Friday, Minister Barbara Creecy says the work of Rangers across the country is commendable as they often risk their lives in protection of the country’s natural heritage. Creecy adds rangers have remained at the forefront of the battle against poaching, despite the national lockdown.

She says the restriction of movement imposed as the result of the lockdown also greatly contributed to the reduction of rhino poaching.

The 2020 National Rhino Poaching Statistics indicate that whilst the number of rhinos poached declined significantly, majority of those killed were in KwaZulu-Natal followed by North West and Mpumalanga.

No rhinos were poached in the Intensive Protection Zone in the Kruger National Park during April, for the first time in nearly ten years.

Whilst there seems to be improvements, the department’s spokesperson, Albi Modise, reiterates that more still needs to be done in protection of these animals.

“To support the efforts of rangers, the department, in collaboration with the provincial conservation and parks authorities, the private sector and NGO’s, continues to implement the decisions of the Rhino Lab with the latest initiative focusing on demarcating specific wildlife zones to ensure that additional resources are directed to high risk areas.

“The Department is also in the process of establishing the Environmental Enforcement Fusion Centre, which is aimed at coordinating and improving the reactive and proactive response to rhino poaching and other wildlife crime,” said Modise.

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