Ezemvelo KZN extends dehorning campaign
Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife has extended its rhino dehorning campaign.
It says the decision is in response to the alarming surge in poaching incidents recorded within the Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park last year.
KwaZulu-Natal lost 325 rhinos in 2023.
Around 95% of them were poached within the park in northern KZN.
Ezemvelo has teamed up with the WWF South Africa on the dehorning programme.
The entity's Musa Mntambo says while rhino dehorning goes against what it stands for, the persistent threat posed by poachers to these animals has necessitated more drastic measures to protect the endangered mammals.
READ: Ezemvelo launches probe after buffalo kills man outside park
“A decision to dehorn is never taken lightly, and is only one of a wide range of interventions which together seek to simultaneously remove the potential reward of rhino poaching while increasing the likelihood of being caught.
“The province of KZN has played a critical role in rhino conservation in Africa, which is why we are committing resources to support the authorities in their efforts to protect rhinos. Beyond the dehorning programme, we will also be supporting Ezemvelo in its broader efforts to implement the Ezemvelo KZN Guardianship Strategy for Rhinoceros.”
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