by Ntandoyenkosi Ncube
JOHANNESBURG, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's declining rhino poaching figures mask growing pressure on some of its remaining populations, with losses in the Kruger National Park nearly doubling despite a nationwide decline, a conservationist warned.
According to the country's Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, South Africa recorded 352 rhinos poached in 2025, down 16 percent from 420 in 2024.
Poaching in Kruger rose from 88 rhinos in 2024 to 175 in 2025, while KwaZulu-Natal Province recorded a sharp decline from 232 to 97 over the same period.
The contrasting trends highlight the need for sustained, region-specific conservation efforts, Carlien Roodt, director of Project Rhino Alliance Non-Profit Corporation, told Xinhua on World Rhino Day, observed annually on Sept. 22.
"While the reduction in national poaching figures is encouraging, we cannot afford to interpret this as a sign that the crisis is over," Roodt warned, noting that every rhino lost represents an individual animal, a breeding opportunity, and a part of the natural heritage that cannot simply be replaced.
Founded in 2011, Project Rhino brings together conservation agencies, game reserves, rhino owners and anti-poaching specialists to strengthen rhino protection.
She said the increase in poaching in Kruger demonstrates that conservation strategies must remain adaptive and coordinated across regions, while progress in KwaZulu-Natal shows the value of collaboration among rhino owners, conservation authorities and supporting organizations.
"There is no single solution to rhino poaching," Roodt said. "The most effective approach is a layered security model in which prevention, detection, rapid response, intelligence, and prosecution work together."
She identified trained rangers, canine units, aerial support and cooperation across reserves as key to effective protection, with technology helping improve early detection and response.
However, Roodt cautioned that cameras, sensors and aerial monitoring cannot replace people on the ground. "A camera is only as effective as the system that monitors it, interprets the information, and responds to an identified threat," she said.
Beyond poaching, Roodt said the long-term survival of rhinos depends on maintaining viable habitats and resilient populations.
Habitat loss and fragmentation can restrict natural movement and genetic connectivity, while drought, changing rainfall patterns, water shortages and reduced food availability can affect animal health, breeding success and population resilience, she added.
"At Project Rhino, we believe that conservation must extend beyond the reserve boundary," she said.
Noting that the next five to 10 years will be "decisive," she said South Africa should use the period to strengthen ranger capacity and collaborative security, promote science-based wildlife management, deepen community partnerships, develop sustainable funding models and maintain international cooperation against wildlife trafficking.
"The progress we have seen is encouraging, but it remains fragile. We cannot become complacent," she said. "Our responsibility is not simply to hold the line today. It is to build a future where rhinos, wildlife, and the people protecting them can thrive."
