The Rise of Environmental Crime: A Growing Threat to Natural Resources, Peace, Development and Security

55% of South Africa’s killed rhinos in 2011 and 2014, and 70% in 2015. 126 About two thirds of all rhino horn seized between 2006 and 2015 was destined for China or Viet Nam. 127 Asian rhinos come in three species. They are the greater one horned, with a population of 3,500 in mid-2015, the Javan rhino with 63, and the Sumatran with less than 100 individuals in existence. 128 The greater one horned rhino is IUCN listed as vulnerable, 129 while the other two are critically endangered. 130 Poaching is also a threat to Asian rhinos. Over 70% of Indian Greater One-horned rhinos were in Kaziranga National Park by 2008. 131 with an estimated 2,401 rhinos in 2015. 132 Poaching is currently a threat in Kaziringa with 123 rhinos killed between 2006 and 2015. The killing has increased strongly with 71 (58%) of these killed in 2013–2015. 133 The other major concen- tration of Asian rhinos are in Chitwan National Park, with 605 of Nepal’s 645 rhinos. 134 The Nepal population has been under threat from poaching. 135 However, the population in-country has increased by 111 from 2011 to 2016. 136 But Chitwan has seen no poaching for the full year until mid 2015. 137 Rhino poachers in Africa have increased considerably in sophistication. Poachers tended to be a mixture of poorly equipped locals and assault-rifle equipped former military, police officials or game scouts with tracking and bush skills.

Now, however, poachers are even more sophisticated using high-powered .375 or .458 rifles or even cross-bows, and increasing use of helicopters and dart guns using immobi- lization drugs. Such methods and equipment require profes- sional skills and access to expensive equipment. 138 This level of equipment and professionalism among poachers is not yet prevalent among elephant poachers. Highly professional poaching is sometimes called khaki-coloured crime, referring to the likelihood of it being conducted by industry insiders with veterinarians. 139

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