Rhino massacre continues, 588 slaughtered in 2012

27 November 2012 - 13:42 By Sapa
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Image: Reuben Goldberg

South Africa has lost 588 rhino to poaching in 2012 so far, the environmental affairs department said on Tuesday.

"The latest rhino poaching statistics indicate that a total of 588 rhino have been lost to poaching since the beginning of this year, with the total number of arrests at 246," the department said in a statement.

The country had lost 140 more rhino than the 448 that were poached in 2011, while 224 poachers were arrested last year and 165 the year before.

According to the latest figures 39 rhino had been killed since the middle of November.

The Kruger National Park had been the hardest hit with 362 rhino lost to poaching. The North West, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo provinces collectively lost 186 rhino.

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