An oxpecker sitting on the head of a white rhinoceros in Kruger National Park, some 60 kms from Nelspruit in South Africa, June 2010. Poachers have slaughtered 455 rhinos in South Africa so far this year, surpassing the record annual tally for 2011, the government said Tuesday.
Poachers have slaughtered 455 rhinos in South Africa so far this year, surpassing the record annual tally for 2011, the government said Tuesday.
"The latest rhino poaching statistics indicate that a total of 455 rhinos have been lost to illegal killings since the beginning of this year," the department of environmental affairs said in a statement.
Last year, a total of 448 rhinos were poached, up from 333 in 2010 and just 13 in 2007.
(c) 2012 AFP
