South Africa, November 2011—More rhinos have been killed in South Africa in the past 10 months than were killed in all of 2010, new poaching numbers reveal. Statistics from South Africa National Parks show that 341 animals were lost to poaching by the end of October 2011, compared to a record total of 333 last year.

South Africa’s grim milestone comes on the heels of an announcement by WWF last week that rhinos have gone extinct in Viet Nam. The carcass of Viet Nam’s last Javan Rhino was found with a gunshot wound and without its horn.

In September 2011, CAWT partners were instrumental in convening a workshop in South Africa of key stakeholders, including government representatives from rhino range States and others, to devise ways to address the growing rhino poaching crisis.

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August 2011—An investigation this month by Australia’s federal environment department has netted close to 400 alleged illegal wildlife products in the western Sydney suburb of Parramatta.

On 3rd August, enforcement officers raided a house and found a large collection of wildlife products including the skin and head of an Alaskan wolf, a lynx skin, lion and bear skulls, a mounted bear head, orangutan skulls, a carved monkey skull, ivory products and scrimshaw.

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