Botswana is concerned for the survival of its rhinos. The authorities sounded the alarm on Monday in the face of the resurgence of poaching cases targeting these animals. At least 46 animals have been killed since April 2019 in the Moremi Game Reserve alone, in the north of the country.
"Poaching has increased in worrying proportions in this sector," according to the deputy director of the ministry in charge of Wildlife. Almost 10% of the rhino population would have disappeared in 2019 alone.
News from Botswana that 46 rhinos have been killed in the last 10 months. From a total population of 502 as at end 2017, that's a very worrying offtake, nearly 10% https://t.co/6mvoFdnahY
- Save the Rhino (@savetherhino) February 25, 2020Killed for their horns
Botswana now has only a small number of rhinos, white or black. They would be between 400 and 500, according to his statistics. Most have taken up residence in the Okavango River Delta, where the Moremi Game Reserve is located. The authorities fear that at this rate of poaching, the population will be entirely wiped off the map by 2021.
As elsewhere in Africa, poaching is based on the high demand for rhino horns. While they are made up of keratin, like human nails, traditional Asian medicine lends them the ability to treat cancer or sexual impotence. On the black market, the kilo of rhino horns sells for up to 55,000 euros.
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