The toll of the killed rhino has increased to 171 in South Africa in 2012, a government department said on Friday.

In the midst of the increased anti-poaching effort, the rhinos killed in the country so far this year have reached an alarming figure, said Environmental Affairs department spokesman Albi Modise in a statement.

According to the new statistics, the northern province of Limpopo, the eastern province of KwaZulu-Natal and the central province of North West among nine provinces were prime destinations for illegal rhino poachers, with a total of 58 rhinos killed. The Kruger National Park was the main target for the poachers, resulting at a staggering total of 103 rhinos being killed, while the remaining 10 were poached elsewhere in the country, said the spokesman.

In 2011, 448 rhinos were killed in South Africa, compared to 333 in 2010.

If this trend of the rhino killing continues, the total number of the killed animals this year will be higher than last year, an expert said.

Conservationists warned the rhino in South Africa is facing their worst poaching crisis in decades.

There is increased concern at the escalation of rhino poaching in South Africa, and the government is taking measures to protect the endangered rhino.

A joint force of the country's law enforcement agencies has been built in an effort to tackle the rising killings of the rhinos.

Since January, more than 100 suspected poachers have been arrested.

South Africa is home to the largest rhino population in the world with about 20,000, nearly 80 percent of the global figure.