The poaching(偷猎),or illegal killing, of rhinos in South Africa is growing worse each year. The government recently reported that a record number of rhinos were poached in 2014, a year which had more rhino killings in South Africa than ever before.

      The World Wildlife Fund, or WWF, says about 20, 000 rhinos live in South Africa. That is more than 80 percent of the rhinos in the world. Edna Molewa, South Africa’s Environment Minister, says, “During 2014, we are sad to say this, 1, 215 rhinos were killed. This is a rise in the number of poached rhinos from 1, 004 in 2013 and indeed very worrying.”

      The animals are hunted for their horns. Many people in Asia believe the horn has curing power, which drives poachers, at all costs, mad for more horns. But there is no scientific evidence for this belief. The horn is made of keratin. That is the same thing as human hair, fingernails and toenails.

      Ms. Mo1ewa said 386 suspected poachers were arrested last year, an increase from the year before. But rhino protection workers say poachers often go unpunished after arrest. South Africa’s legal system is ineffective. Ms. Mo1ewa said more needs to be done and South Africa is taking strong measures to protect rhinos. The efforts include moving some of the animals to secret places in neighboring countries. “Now approximately 100 rhinos have been moved to neighboring states in the SADC region during 2014 and 200 more rhinos will be moved this year,” Molewa said.

      Jo Shaw, the rhino program manager at the WWF, said, “We’re talking about a loss of a hundred rhinos a month, or more than three a day. We really need to see effective action not just at a national level but internationally.” She says officials should find the criminal groups responsible for the poaching and punish them. Government officials are to meet in Botswana in March at the Intergovernmental Conference on Illegal Wildlife Trade.