Black rhinos (Diceros bicornis) are among the most threatened rhino species – sadly, a number of populations have all but disappeared. In the 1980s, rampant rhino poaching extirpated Botswana’s black rhino population. Other countries also suffered heavy losses, but since then, the species has been slowly coming back.

Botswana is home to around 500 rhinos, according to international conservation charity, Save the Rhino. They are a protected species in Botswana and fall outside the government’s recent decision to end a five-year ban on trophy-hunting licences, which is largely targeted at the burgeoning elephant population.

Poaching is fuelled by a seemingly insatiable demand for rhino horn in Asia, where it is coveted as a traditional medicine or an aphrodisiac, and can fetch up to $60,000 per kilogramme. Rhino horn is composed mainly of keratin, the same substance as in human nails.

“Poaching has risen at an alarming rate in this area,” Moemi Batshabang, a deputy director with the government’s wildlife department told AFP. “The increase in poaching of both the black and white rhino is of concern and unusual,” said Batshabang.

Mabuse Pule, acting minister of the environment and tourism, told the National Assembly in February that 138 rhinoceroses had been poached and 76 died of natural causes in the last five years. He attributes the spike in poaching incidents to a rise in the demand for the rhino horn in Asia, particularly in China and Vietnam.

“Botswana experienced a significant increase in incidences of rhino poaching in 2020,” Pule said. “These incidents can be attributed to a number of factors, including an increased demand for rhino horn in the international market. Hence, poachers looked for places where rhinos are around and also a displacement of international criminal syndicates from other southern African states.”

On the positive side, Pule noted the number of animals killed by poachers in 2022 dropped sharply. “In the year 2021, following increased anti-poaching interventions, 33 rhinos [were] lost to poachers and only six rhinos [were] poached during the year 2022,” he said. “On account of these trends, it is evident that the interventions being implemented are bearing fruit.”

Besides poaching, the animals have been dying in large numbers due to natural causes. Botswana’s rhino population was estimated at 400 in 2019. “In terms of animals that have died due to natural causes, a total of 76 rhinos were lost to natural causes,” Pule said. “The country lost five in 2018, 18 rhinos in 2019, 22 in 2020, 15 in 2021 and 16 in 2022 rhinos. Most of these mortalities are from old age, disease and/or injuries sustained during rhino fights.”

Rhino conservationist Map Ives said rhino mortalities due to natural causes are too high. “We have natural causes that can occur, for example, fights between bulls; sometimes bulls will kill calves, hyenas can catch calves, lions can catch calves and fire can kill the animals. But at most, [we lose] two or three a year. We do not lose 76 animals in three or four years,” Ives said.

Nina Fascione, executive director at the International Rhino Foundation, said southern Africa remains a hot spot for rhino poaching. “The International Rhino Foundation remains very concerned about poaching in Southern Africa. Poaching remains a huge threat to black and white rhinos. It is hard to talk about trends but poaching was artificially reduced during the COVID pandemic, and now has been on the rise in some countries,” Fascione said.

In a bid to discourage poachers, Botswana has de-horned and relocated its rhino population from the vast Okavango Delta to undisclosed sanctuaries.