RHINO DATA

Despite best efforts, not all countries release regular data on poaching mortality.  The criteria vary from range state to range state, for example, South Africa excludes poaching survivors, survivors who later die, unborn calves, orphans, and poached rhinos found with intact horns from their accounts.

Most rhino range states have confiscated, illegal horn stockpiles and, in the case of South Africa and Namibia, which allow private ownership of white rhinos, private rhino horn stockpiles including horns from dehorning and natural deaths.

Unless destroyed or returned to the country of origin, non-range states may also hold stockpiles of confiscated horns.

Few countries report their stockpile inventory publicly because they pose a security threat, however we do know some based on public data. It was after a PAIA request that South Africa's inventory was made public.  

Eswatini's inventory was made public after a proposal to sell their stockpile at the CITES Conference of Parties.

The standard for counting rhinos varies depending on the rhinos habitat such as terrain and climate, but also resources.  A variety of techniques are used, but  population counts over large areas carry uncertainty. 

• Camera traps: Automatically captures images of wildlife when motion is detected

• Aerial counts: Defining a set area and counting the number of rhinos within that area

• Vehicle tracking: Rangers track the rhinos in vehicles and ear notch each animal for identification

• Helicopter block counts: The study area is divided into a grid and a number of squares are chosen at random and the animals within counted