By AFP
 |
| Photo:Stephane de Sakutin (AFP) |
A
dehorned black rhinoceros and a calf on August 3, 2012 at the Bona Bona Game
Reseve, southeast of Johannesburg
It
is the first time that such recognition has gone to an animal, as poaching
figures reach all-time highs.
"Stories
of rhino poaching dominated the headlines throughout the year, the story was
covered extensively locally and internationally," said Antoinette
Slabbert, chairperson of the National Press Club.
Poachers
are increasingly targeting South
Africa
"We
made this decision after a long and serious thought," Slabbert said,
adding "there wasn't any other bigger story than this."
The
plight of the pachyderm eclipsed the shooting of 34 mineworkers by police
during a strike at Lonmin platinum mine in August, and a host of prominent
political news.
"People
need to understand that we selected a newsmaker not a news event, the Marikana
shooting was a news event, with many faces," Slabbert said.
"While
the rhino has dominated headlines for all the wrong reasons, the media has
played a fundamental role in informing not only South Africans, but the world,
about the massive tragedy that is unfolding in our country," Slabbert
said.
Rhinos
are victims of a surging demand for their horns, which some people in Asia think have medicinal properties. The claim is widely
discredited.
The
number of rhinos poached in the country rose sharply over the last five years,
from 13 in 2007 to 448 in 2011.
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