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Park officials took the opportunity to warn that it is \"dangerous to hunt illegally\" in the park.

\"Criminals stand to lose their lives and freedom,\" the statement said.

\"PHOTO:
Richard Heathcote/Getty Images, FILE
PHOTO: In this Nov. 30, 2016, file photo, a family of elephants walks through the Kruger National Park in Malelane, South Africa.
>

Kruger National Park is South Africa's largest wildlife sanctuary, encompassing nearly 5 million acres. The game reserve is also one of the hardest-hit regions in the country for rhino poaching. The park's rhino population has decreased by 60% since 2013. In the first half of 2020, 166 rhinos were poached in South Africa, with 88 in Kruger National Park.

There are 3,529 white rhinos and 268 black rhinos left in Kruger National Park, according to South African National Parks.

To help combat rhino poaching, in recent months Kruger National Park has deployed more patrols in addition to using dogs and detection technologies to track suspects.

Between July and September, there was a nearly 30% increase in the number of poachers arrested in the park compared with the same period last year, according to South African National Parks.

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