Safari park stops pinpointing rhinos for tourists
8th December 2011
Kruger National Park in South Africa has decided to stop pinpointing rhino locations for visitors, amid fears poachers are taking advantage of the information
Wildlife enthusiasts hoping to spot a rhino at Kruger National Park in South Africa are on their own, as park authorities have decided to stop pinpointing locations of the elusive species, amid fears that poachers are taking advantage of the information.
Previously, the park would help tourists locate certain species by identifying the locations they were last seen on maps at rest-stops. Now park authorities have decided to remove all information revealing the whereabouts of rhinos over fears that poachers could be consulting the maps before hunting the animals.
The enormous size of this two million hectare park means that this elusive species has plenty of space to hide, yet over the past week six rhino carcases have been found, all with gunshot wounds and their horns removed.
South Africa National Parks have claimed that this year has been the worst year ever for rhino hunting, with data revealing a record number of 405 poaching related deaths in Africa alone. Kruger Park has lost 229 of its rhinos due to poaching this year, compared to 146 last year.
Both black and white African rhinos have been driven onto the global list of endangered and critically endangered species due to poaching. Conservationists believe this is due to demand for rhino horns in Asia.
Kruger Park is one of Africa's most popular national parks, and attracts more than a million visitors every year, all hoping to spot the park's famous Big Five: lion, rhino, elephant, leopard and buffalo.
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