'Rhinos are in a desperate situation,' said Susan Lieberman, director of the Species Programme, WWF-International. 'This is the worst rhino poaching we have seen in many years and it is critical for governments to stand up and take action to stop this deadly threat to rhinos worldwide.'

'It is time to crack down on organised criminal elements responsible for this trade, and to vastly increase assistance to range countries in their enforcement efforts,' she said.

Almost all rhino species are listed in CITES in Appendix I, which means that any international trade of any rhino parts for commercial purposes is illegal.