In South Africa, the COVID-19 pandemic and strict government-imposed lockdown have led to an unexpected consequence: a major decline in rhino poaching. More than 80% of African rhinos remaining in the world are in South Africa, making it the hotspot for rhino poaching. The number of rhinos killed for their horns has been slowly declining over recent years, but the pandemic and lockdown have quelled rhino poaching even more.
According to a report from the Minister of the Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, in April 2020 only five rhinos were poached in Kruger National Park, which is home to the majority of rhinos in South Africa, compared to 46 in April 2019. Fourteen rhinos were poached across the entire country during April 2020, the first month of the national COVID-19 lockdown. And 46 rhinos were poached nationwide the previous month.