South Africa has lost more than 200 rhinos this year despite an intensified crackdown to curb the scourge, authorities said on Wednesday.

A total of 203 rhinos have been slaughtered since the beginning of the year, with the Kruger National Park (KNP) remaining the hardest hit with 146 rhino having been poached, the Department of Environmental Affairs said.

The North West Province have had 18 rhino poached, to be followed by KwaZulu-Natal (17), Limpopo (13) and Mpumalanga (10).

A total of 60 suspects have been arrested, 36 of them in the KNP.

56 incursions by alleged rhino poachers were recorded by members of the KNP ranger corps between March 21 and April 1. In the shootouts that ensued with poachers, one alleged poachers was fatally wounded on Sunday, while another was believed to have committed suicide on Monday after he was surrounded by members of the ranger corps.

The South African Air Force (SAAF) has joined the fight against rhino poaching. On Sunday a SAAF helicopter crashed in the KNP, killing five on board.

The unchecked rhino poaching has prompted the government to declare "a national security risk" given the fact criminal syndicates are behind the scourge.

Authorities warn that if the scurge is not contained, the number of rhinos killed this year would surpass that of last year when 448 rhinos were poached countrywide. Endi

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