Rhino poaching continues to threaten populations, particularly in Kruger National Park. In response, a large-scale dehorning initiative was launched in 2021 as part of an adaptive management strategy to reduce poaching risk and support population recovery—especially in high-density, high-risk areas. Dehorning, especially of white rhinos, has shown clear conservation benefits, but as more animals were treated, tracking and re-dehorning became increasingly complex and costly.

To address this, SANParks integrated rhino dehorning with the annual aerial census of rhino and elephant populations starting on August 15, 2022. With funding from ACTIF and air support from Bassair Aviation, a dedicated third helicopter was deployed for rapid response dehorning. Over two weeks, 133 rhinos (106 white and 27 black) were dehorned, sampled, microchipped, and notched—making the operation a major success while significantly cutting costs through efficient coordination and shared resources.