South Africa lost 71 rhinos to poaching this year, SA National Parks said yesterday.
"This figure encompasses fresh and old carcasses that have been found in the various parks and nature reserves countrywide," said SANParks CEO David Mabunda.
Most of the poaching, 46 rhinos, occurred in the Kruger National Park.
Rhino poaching is on the increase: 333 rhinos were slaughtered last year, compared with 122 in 2009 and 83 in 2008.
Mabunda said 64 suspected rhino poachers were arrested this year.
The Associated Press reported last month that, so far this year, nine poachers had been killed by park rangers.
The rangers were acting in self-defence against heavily armed poachers, according to Bandile Mkhize, the CE of KwaZulu-Natal Parks and a former manager of Kruger National Park.
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