South Africa recorded a 16% drop in rhino poaching in 2025, with 352 of the animals killed across the country between January and December, down from 420 in 2024. The figures, released by the national environment department in February 2026, were credited to strengthened anti-poaching and anti-trafficking efforts.
The decline of 68 animals year on year was hailed by officials as evidence that integrated protection strategies are beginning to ease the pressure on one of the country’s most threatened species.
Where the rhinos were lost
According to the department, of the 352 rhinos poached during 2025, 266 were killed on state properties, while 86 were lost on privately owned parks, reserves or farms.
The most striking improvement came from the KwaZulu-Natal flagship Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, which cut its losses dramatically. The park recorded 63 rhinos poached in 2025, down from 198 the previous year, a turnaround officials attributed to integrated protection strategies deployed on the reserve.
What officials credit for the turnaround
Environment Minister Dion George’s department, alongside Minister Narend Singh and figures cited by officials including Aucamp, attributed the overall drop to sustained anti-poaching and anti-trafficking work.
A key catalyst, according to the department, was strategic dehorning, introduced in 2024, which officials said had helped stabilise poaching pressure across affected areas.
Several conservation partners were involved in the protection effort. They included:
- WWF
- Save the Rhino International
- Wildlife ACT
- the Peace Parks Foundation
The department said the combination of on-the-ground anti-poaching measures, anti-trafficking enforcement and partnerships with conservation organisations had contributed to the improved figures.
A measured note of progress
While the 16% decline marks a notable improvement over 2024, the 352 rhinos lost in 2025 underline that poaching remains a serious threat to the species in South Africa. Officials presented the latest figures as a sign that strengthened protection efforts are paying off, with the sharp drop at Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park cited as a leading example of what integrated strategies can achieve.
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