Three Rhino carcasses found in Kunene region of Namibia

Three Black Rhino carcasses were discovered in the Kunene region this week, two weeks after another carcass of a black rhino bull was found in Etosha.

This discovery brings Namibia's official total loss of rhinos to poachers this year to a record high of
18, comprising 15 black and three white rhino. Some claim the number could be higher.

A look at recent statistics shows that at least 26 rhinos, black and white, have been poached in Namibia since 2009, mostly this year.

The decision to dehorn Namibia's rhinos, in an attempt to combat the rhino poaching crisis in the country, has met a mixed response. The strategy's costs, its effectiveness and the opportunity for corruption have all been cited as challenges. Furthermore, a source with close ties to rhino conservation in Namibia said law enforcement probes into rhino poaching "leave much to be desired".

Namibia's tourism industry is the third largest contributor to the country's GDP and the killing of iconic wildlife negatively impacts Namibia's reputation as a tourist destination, decreasing tourism's
contribution to the treasury.