Endangered rhino poaching nearly doubled in Namibia in 2022

WINDHOEK, Namibia (AP) — Rhino poaching in Namibia increased dramatically last year. The country’s environment ministry says nearly twice as many of the critically endangered animals were killed than the year before. The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism released figures on Monday that 87 rhinos were poached in Namibia in 2022. That is up from 45 in 2021. It added that 61 of the rhinos poached last year were black rhinos and 26 white rhinos. The ministry says it is “a serious concern.” The Save The Rhino organization says Namibia has more than one-third of the world’s black rhino population. It estimates there are only around 6,000 black rhinos left.