Botswana lost 138 rhinos to poaching since 2018
Botswana lost a total 214 rhinos in the years 2018 to present due to poaching and death by natural causes.
Some 138 rhinos were poached during that period while 76 died of natural causes in the same period. This came to the fore when acting Minister of Environment and Tourism, Mabuse Pule responded to a question in Parliament this week.
Law enforcement authorities are currently investigating poaching of two rhinos at the closely-guarded Khama Rhino Sanctuary during the period of October and November 2022.
Neither Minister Pule nor the law enforcement agencies are willing to shed any light on the incidents save to confirm that, “investigations into these poaching incidences are still ongoing therefore it would be premature to make any conclusions”.
Government also took a decision to transfer some of the rhinos in the Okavango Delta to a much safer place. Pule confirmed the translocation of the animals but had a favour to ask Parliament.
“I can confirm that some rhinos were transferred from the Okavango Delta into safer locations. I request this House to permit me to not divulge locations to where these rhinos were translocated, as that would only increase the very risk of poaching that we are trying to address”.
He said similarly, to avoid raising the risk profile of the translocated rhinos, “I request this House to permit me to not divulge the number of translocated animals”.
Pule said that they lost two rhinos due to injuries sustained during their capture during the relocation exercise.
“It is important though to set the record straight that the mortality was not due to mishandling as the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) have professionals who have carried out this exercise many times without a problem”.
The Minister was answering a question from Member of Parliament for Serowe South, Leepetswe Lesedi who had wanted to know what has caused rhino poaching to spiral out of control in the last four (4) years.
The MP also wanted the minister to avail statistics and the number of rhinos that have been poached and those that died from natural causes since April 2018, to state why rhinos were moved to Ghanzi, how many were moved and how many died due to mishandling during the relocation.
The MP wanted to know how many rhinos were recently killed at Khama Rhino Sanctuary and how poachers managed to gain access to the sanctuary as it is a highly protected area?
He also asked how many endangered white backed vultures have been reported dead in Botswana in the last two (2) years, and for the minister to state interventions, if any, being carried out to control poaching and possible extinction of endangered species.
Pule said Botswana experienced a significant increase in incidences of rhino poaching in 2020 which can be attributed to a number of factors including, an increased demand for rhino horn in the international market and a displacement of international criminal syndicates from other Southern African states to Botswana.
He said in 2018 Botswana lost seven (7) rhinos to poachers. In 2019, a total 30 rhinos were poached. This figure increased to 62 in 2020. In the year 2021, following increased anti-poaching interventions, this figure dropped to 33 rhinos lost to poachers, with a further drop to only six (6) rhinos poached during the year 2022.
On account of these trends, it is evident that the interventions being implemented are bearing fruit, Pule said.
As for animals that have died due to natural causes, Pule said that the country lost five (5) in 2018, 18 rhinos in 2019, 22 in 2020, 15 in 2021 and 16 in 2022 rhinos.
“Most of these mortalities are from old age, disease and/or injuries sustained during rhino fights, mostly amongst males fighting for breeding territories”. Pule told parliament that in the year 2021, a total of two (2) white backed vultures were reported dead as a direct result of poisoning, both in Ngamiland. In the year 2022, a total 175 white backed vultures were reported dead as a direct result of poisoning, with 160 killed in Chobe District, 12 in Central District and three (3) in Ngamiland.
So far in the year 2023, at least 27 white backed vultures have been poisoned, in Chobe District. In most of these instances except in Chobe District case, vultures were not the target, but carcasses had been poisoned to kill carnivores.
“I would like to plead with farmers to desist from indiscriminate use of poisons to target carnivores as this ends up killing vultures”. He said his Ministry in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies, has put in place many interventions that are geared towards curbing the incidences of poaching and the current trend of very low numbers of animals poached is a demonstration of the positive result of the actions.
“However, I cannot divulge the interventions and strategies as that would alert the poachers and put to risk the very animals we are trying to protect,” he concluded.