Every day, two rhinos are killed in South Africa for their horns, which are highly valued in East Asia for medicine and luxury goods. The black market demand leads to wealthy buyers paying high prices.
South Africa holds two-thirds of Africa’s rhinos, but poverty affects nearly half of the population. Between 2010 and 2016, an estimated 31 tonnes of rhino horn worth $234 million entered the illegal market.
TRAFFIC interviewed 70 poachers in South African prisons, revealing that most were motivated by poverty. Many had low education and were from poor communities near reserves where rhinos live.
One poacher shared how he was inspired by others in his village who could afford cars and houses, learning that they were poachers. This led many to see poaching as a way out of poverty.
The illegal rhino horn trade involves multiple intermediaries, making the product more valuable before reaching markets in East Asia. The global wildlife trade is worth over $72 billion annually, alongside narcotics and arms.
Poaching persists due to social acceptance and higher earnings than law enforcement offers. To stop the killings, stronger enforcement, accountability, and anti-corruption measures are needed.
