Some good news about rhinos

Zimbabwe appears to be winning the battle to save its  rhino population against  poachers as the number killed has gone down significantly from 60 animals in 2013 to six in the past 15 months.

Figures released by wildlife organisations  to mark the World Rhino Day, show that
rhino poaching is on the decline after the government and conservation experts adopted a raft
of measures including stiff prison terms for convicted poachers.

Dehorning the rhinos and satellite tracking has also helped curb poaching, in the process
boosting the country's tourism.

In the late 1980s, Zimbabwe had a rhino population of about 2,000 but the numbers have crashed
to around 760.

The International Rhino Foundation, which has been working with a local conservation trust, the
Lowveld Rhino Trust (LRT), said the decrease in rhino poaching can be attributed to anti-
poaching efforts, tracking and monitoring.

Many rhinos have also been moved from high-risk areas in Hwange and the Zambezi Valley
to safer areas in the Lowveld and private conservancies while local communities have also
cooperated in building support for rhino conservation.

Over the last three to four years, the rhino population has been growing annually between five
and 10 percent, which is great news for the species future in Zimbabwe.