South Africa recorded a 16% national decline in rhino poaching in 2025, a decrease officials link to intensified anti-trafficking operations and coordinated strategies, even as specific regions experienced severe reversals.
Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries Willie Aucamp announced that 352 rhinos were poached last year, down from 420 in 2024. The overall reduction follows years of concerted efforts to dismantle criminal networks targeting the country’s rhino populations, primarily for their horns. However, the national average masks a complex and uneven landscape of success and crisis.
The most striking divergence appears within key provinces. In Mpumalanga, which encompasses the bulk of Kruger National Park, poaching incidents nearly doubled, rising to 178 animals. This surge contrasts sharply with the dramatic 68% reduction in KwaZulu-Natal’s Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, where poaching fell from 198 incidents in 2024 to just 63 in 2025.
Authorities attribute the national downward trend to a multi-pronged strategy. Technological integration has been central, with expanded networks of advanced cameras and sensors improving early detection in protected areas. A critical component has been the implementation of an Integrity Implementation Plan, which includes mandatory polygraph testing for park rangers and law enforcement personnel to identify and root out corruption linked to poaching syndicates.
Strategic dehorning programs, where rhinos’ horns are carefully removed to deter poachers, have also been scaled up. Complementing these field tactics is a strengthened judicial approach. A dedicated unit of prosecutors now consolidates cases to build stronger charges against organised crime leaders, resulting in longer prison sentences upon conviction.
South Africa’s collaborative cross-border efforts garnered international recognition with the Asia Environmental Enforcement Award, highlighting its role in disrupting transnational wildlife crime chains. The award underscores the necessity of global cooperation, as demand for rhino horn primarily originates in Asian markets.
While the 16% national reduction offers a measure of encouragement, the volatile regional results—particularly the spike in Kruger—signal that the threat remains dynamic and persistent. Sustaining and deepening the integrated approach that combines technology, integrity measures, and legal rigor will be decisive in ensuring long-term gains for rhino conservation. The challenge lies in replicating the successes seen in areas like KwaZulu-Natal across all poaching hotspots, requiring continued vigilance and adaptive strategy.
