Marking World Rhino Day on Monday (September 22), Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife said there has been an 80% reduction in rhino poaching in Hluhluwe - iMfolozi Park (HiP) in northern KZN. In a statement Ezemvelo said that in comparison to the 2023 figures, KZN has seen a significant reduction in rhino poaching, with a notable decrease at HiP. In recent years, stats from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment have shown that poachers had shifted focus to KZN with HiP being a significant target. Ezemvelo stated that from 2009 to 2024, 40% of the park's rhinos were lost. It said its Rhino Guardianship Strategy, which was launched in August 2024, set ambitious goals to mitigate poaching and conserve rhino. Part of the measures implemented include intensification of anti-poaching patrols and surveillance, improvement of boundary fences, integrity testing with field staff and mass dehorning. It noted that less than three months, 1,071 rhinos were dehorned, a strategic intervention that has proven highly effective. "We have seen firsthand how dehorning, combined with integrity testing and surveillance technology, can shift the odds in favour of rhino protection," said Dumisani Zwane, officer in charge of the Game Capture Field Operations at Ezemvelo.