Yep…We saw rhinos again yesterday morning in Kruger National Park…South Africa rhino stats…

For a moment, this rhino turned his head for a partial view of her face. This was the best we could capture.

We figured that when we took off yesterday morning in search of rhinos in Kruger National Park, we had a slim chance of seeing them again, since we’d seen them when our friend Lisa was here in April.

We entered the area within several kilometers of where we’d seen them a few months ago, and there they were, perhaps the same pair or another pair, as the exact number of rhinos in this area is not disclosed.

We cannot disclose the specific location of the rhinos we spotted due to the risk that poachers may read our article and then head out to poach them. Enough have been lost already.

However, the opportunity for our visiting friends Kady and Rich to see rhinos in the wild for the first time in their lives was an indescribable joy. How many people have ever seen rhinos in the wild? This number is impossible to determine since stats are not documented. However, overall, based on the world’s population, it is undoubtedly a small number.

In the past, we have posted rhino statistics several times, but seeing them again prompted us to post them once more.

Here are the latest rhino population and poaching stats for South Africa:

The two rhinos continued to head further away from our view.

Rhino Population Overview

Total Population

  • South Africa is home to around 16,000–18,000 rhinos, the world’s largest population, including both white and black rhinos

  • White rhinos dominate, with approximately 13,000 in 2021, comprising roughly 12,968 in South Africa

  • Black rhinos number around 2,056, representing about 44% of Africa’s total black rhino population

Poaching Trends

2024 Highlights

  • 420 rhinos were poached in South Africa in 2024, a 16% drop from 499 in 2023.

  • Of these, 320 were from public reserves (e.g., national parks) and 100 from private land

  • KwaZulu-Natal province has seen significant progress, with 232 rhinos poached in 2023, down from 325 in 2022, thanks to dehorning and anti-poaching efforts.

  • Kruger National Park recorded 88 poaching incidents in 2024, slightly up from 78 in 2023

    They wandered off for better grazing.

Early 2025 Update

  • Between January and March 2025, 103 rhinos were poached—65 of these within national parks, averaging more than one animal lost daily, mirroring the pace of early 2024

  • Four provinces—Western Cape, Northern Cape, Gauteng, and Eastern Cape—reported zero poaching during this period.

Conservation & Anti-Poaching Efforts

  • A recent Scientific study found that dehorning reduces poaching by ~80%, costing just 1–1.2% of protection budgets in the Greater Kruger region 

  • Other initiatives include:

    • Radioactive horn implants to deter smuggling attempts

    • Enhanced law enforcement, polygraph vetting, anti-corruption measures, and community engagement.

    • Translocations of black rhinos to bolster genetics in private reserves

Summary

  • Population: ~16k–18k total; ~13k white rhinos, ~2k black rhinos.

  • 2024 poaching: 420 killed (16% decrease from 2023); significant reduction in KZN.

  • 2025 Q1: 103 killed; rates remain concerning, though some provinces saw zero loss.

  • Key responses: Dehorning, surveillance technology, arrests, and horn marking—effective but require broader support and continued funding.

With the two rhinos’ backsides facing us at a distance, we weren’t able to take many good photos. But, we were thrilled to capture the few that were possible.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, July 8, 2015:

This adorable Kookaburra posed for me in the yard while sitting on the fence next to the rain gauge. These birds are much larger than they appear in this photo. For more photos, please click here.