South African rhino poaching has halved in six months due to coronavirus lockdown

The number of South African rhinos killed by poachers in the first six months of this year has fallen by half, it has been reported.

It's believed that this drop in numbers is owed at least in part to the nationwide coronavirus lockdown and resulting disruptions to international smuggling rings, the Guardian reports.

Minister of environment, forestry and fisheries Barbara Creecy revealed that during the first half of the year, 166 rhinos were poached in South Africa compared with 316 in the first six months of 2019.

“After a decade of implementing various strategies… efforts are paying off,” Creecy said. “We have been able to arrest the escalation of rhino losses.”

Per Good News Network, Creecy said that the nationwide law enforcement effort to restrict movement amid the coronavirus pandemic has had a "striking" effect on the decline in rhino poaching in comparison to last year.

Remarkably, in the Kruger National Park no rhinos were killed in the Intensive Protection Zone in April - a feat that has not occurred for 10 years.

Yet Creezy warned that with lockdown restrictions easing and game parks reopening, the incidence of rhino poaching has slowly increased.

In February, the ministry reported a decline of 23% in rhinos lost to poaching in 2019 in addition to a 43% decline in elephant poaching.

“A decline in poaching for five consecutive years is a reflection of the diligent work of the men and women who put their lives on the line daily to combat rhino poaching, often coming into direct contact with ruthless poachers,” the minister said last year.

In celebration of World Ranger Day, the minister paid tribute to the men and women who are committed to protecting the nation's natural heritage, particularly at such a time of human danger due to the pandemic.

“Our rangers have remained at the forefront of the battle against poaching, despite the National Lockdown, contributing to the decrease in poaching. In this time, rangers have had to face not only the threats posed by poachers, but they, and their families, have also had to deal with the danger of contracting Covid-19,” the minister said.