Botswana lost 100 rhinoceros to poachers

By Bisola Adeyemo

A statement on Saturday revealed the total number of rhinoceros killed by poachers in Botswana over the past three years

Kabelo Senyatso, the director at the Department of Wildlife and National Parks in Botswana’s Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism, said about 100 rhinoceros were killed by poachers for their horns in Botswana over the past three years.

“Botswana lost five, 30 and 62 rhinoceros in 2018, 2019 and 2020, respectively.

Senyatso insisted that the southern African country’s rhinoceros population will never reach extinction levels due to poaching, as Botswana will always have certain interventions unique to rhinoceros species to protect them from poachers, according to Xinhua

“Following the surge in rhino poaching within the Okavango Delta, a number of initiatives were implemented to address the problem,” said Senyatso, adding that the initiatives included increase in foot and aerial patrols, dehorning of rhinos and removal of the critically endangered black rhinoceros to fenced areas.

In the statement, Botswana is devoted to deploying resources toward anti-poaching activities, as a means of ensuring that its rich wildlife resources are not decimated by those with selfish ambitions by maintaining anti-poaching efforts in the northern part of Botswana, Senyatso said.