Poachers killed 100 rhinoceros in South Africa in slaughter surge
• http://www.rawstory.com, By Agence France-PressePoachers have killed 100 rhinoceros in South Africa in less than two months, a surge in killings that took the tally for the year to 381, authorities said Wednesday.
More than half of the animals were killed in the world-famous Kruger National Park with the rate of the slaughter likely to mean that the year’s final tally will pass last year’s carnage of 448 animals poached.
With roughly 20,000 rhinos, South Africa is home to up to 80 percent of the world population.
But the country has seen a devastating increase in poaching in recent years as black market demand for rhino horn has grown with numbers leaping from just 13 in 2007 to 333 in 2010.
Heightened security measures have failed to stop the criminal syndicates that officials say are responsible for the killing.
