http://www.iol.co.za/scitech/science/en ... hfEh_ntmko
Hi-tech approach to rhino poachers
October 9 2015 at 02:00pm
By Tony Carnie
The rhino poaching war in KwaZulu-Natal has reached new levels of intensity, with almost 55 poaching attempts in local reserves each month.
Wildlife rangers and KwaZulu-Natal security agencies detected 93 rhino poaching incursions in May alone – more than three attempts each day.
Although most attempts were foiled, 13 rhinos were killed that month.
Ten days ago, Ezemvelo also found eight dead or wounded rhinos in the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park.
As a result, Ezemvelo is now experimenting with several new strategies and sophisticated technology to halt the onslaught.
“We can’t reveal much about these strategies, but we are almost at tipping point, where the rate of deaths overtakes the birth rate. Once that happens it’s the road of no return,” said acting chief executive David Mabunda
“The details are not available for distribution, but the technology allows rangers access to real-time data about whether the animals are being poached and immediately sends out alerts in the event that a rhino is dehorned.
“This technology is designed to dramatically revolutionise the fight against poachers by reducing reaction time and allowing the scene to be pinpointed with greater accuracy.”
Other security measures included better access control, enhanced surveillance and top-of-the-range digital communication systems.
But he acknowledged there were problems securing a helicopter surveillance service. Three service providers had responded to recent tender invitations but had not been able to meet Ezemvelo’s specifications.
Mabunda said the agency hoped to invite tenders for a 12-month helicopter surveillance contract before the end of the month. In the meantime, Ezemvelo was exploring the option of acquiring its own small fleet of helicopters.
“Choppers are not a panacea to rhino poaching, but you need them for quick response and also for intelligence-driven operations.”
Mabunda also urged the courts to impose much heavier sentences on rhino poachers.
He noted that criminal prosecution of Dawie Groenewald and several other rhino horn suspects had not been finalised four years since the initial arrests. Instead of firearms, several recent poaching cases in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi now involved the use of dart guns and tranquilliser drugs.
He also acknowledged alleged rhino horn trader and former Ezemvelo trail ranger Bheki Msweli had been killed in a skirmish with wildlife and security agencies in Thanda private game reserve about two weeks ago. “The individual you mention had been tagged previously,” said Mabunda, adding that all staff involved in rhino operations had to undergo integrity testing.
Poaching in KZN
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Lisbeth
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Re: Poaching in KZN
Every time that an official at a certain level speaks, it is clear that the poaching has been underestimated for years and all of a sudden they start to wake up 
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
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Richprins
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Re: Poaching in KZN
Mabunda is right!
But tenders take too long in an emergency like this....as officials normally wait for the tenderers to provide backhands etc....
But tenders take too long in an emergency like this....as officials normally wait for the tenderers to provide backhands etc....
Please check Needs Attention pre-booking: https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=322&t=596
Re: Poaching in KZN
http://untoldafrica.com/helicopters-dow ... -it-seems/
“Helicopters down — rhino poaching up” … not quite so simple it seems. 0
BY NEWSROOM ON FEBRUARY 26, 2016 WILDLIFE
A recent article in The Witness suggested that rhino poaching the South Africa’s KwaZulu Natal province (KZN) was drastically up due to the grounding of certain helicopter anti poaching services. David Mabunda, erstwhile head of Sanparks and now CEO of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, responds pointing out that KZN’s current rhino poaching surge is a much wider issue that includes drought, tighter and more successful security in Kruger which is diverting poachers elsewhere, and a greater interest on the part of locally based crime syndicates.
Helicopters: Just one tool in the fight against poaching.
BY DAVID MABUNDA | EZEMVELO KZN WILDLIFE | 26 FEBRUARY 2016
Rhino poaching is a complex issue and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife is implementing the necessary multi-pronged approach.
The front page article titled “Helicopters down — rhino poaching up” (The Witness, February 23) refers. It will be wrong for the current biodiversity leadership in our province, country and continent to remain silent and allow unscientific and untested artificial conjecture to be paraded as fact in the public domain and mislead the unsuspecting public.
I have experienced poaching of all species, rhino included, in my previous roles as director of the Kruger National Park and CEO of Sanparks and currently as CEO of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. This long history of service to my country qualifies me to speak with authority when it comes to the subject of rhino poaching specifically and biodiversity conservation in general.
A simplistic notion
The notion that helicopters can stop rhino poaching trivialises and makes a complex subject simplistic. There is no empirical evidence that shows the existence of a correlation between rhino poaching and operating helicopters as a tool to stop the scourge. If I’m mistaken, please provide me the reference.
There are many more variables that influence the increase of rhino poaching incidents in KZN than the helicopter tender (which is already awarded). We all know that the Kruger National Park is the epicentre of rhino poaching in South Africa because of the porous long border with Mozambique, which is the main launching pad of incursions into the Kruger.
Kruger’s ring of steel making KZN a soft target
Recently, the Kruger has established a ring of steel named the Intensive Protection Zone (IPZ) in the south of the park to protect 80 per cent of its rhino population with modern ground and aerial technology, which has repelled poachers with great success. Unfortunately, this fortification has diverted the poachers to KZN, which is seen as a soft target.
We are aware that rhino poaching has attracted criminals who were previously involved in vehicle hijacking, bank robberies, cashintransit heists and ATMbombing crimes, because of the low risks and high returns to the criminals. Wellknown syndicates from other provinces have also turned to KZN and are working with local criminal networks in the province.
Changing crime trends
In previous years, arrests were mainly against Mozambicans, Vietnamese, Chinese and other foreign nationalities. Lately, the trend has changed and we are arresting many South Africans at both level one and two categories. The situation is compounded by the increasing levels of corruption among our ranks, the police, immigration officials and other law enforcement and professional services such as veterinarians. The number of corruption cases in wildlife management is making our efforts to achieve success more difficult.
Drought and moonlight
There are also ecological factors not related to helicopters that have played a significant role in the increase of rhino poaching incidents in the past few months. In the past six months, we have experienced a brighter moonlight period than usual. Poachers hunt at night, although they enter the reserves when nobody is watching and perch themselves at high points where they can survey their target areas. A bright moonlight is a poacher’s paradise. Unfortunately, none of our helicopters can fly at night or during bad weather, which is another reason why one cannot be 100 per cent reliant on helicopters.
The effect of the drought has had devastating consequences for the fight against rhino poaching. The grass and forest vegetation that provided rhinos with cover is very thin and low. Some parts of our rhino reserves have literally been transformed into deserts and the rhinos are sitting ducks. The lack of water has channelled rhino and other species to the few watering holes left and to fence-line areas, making it easy for poachers to shoot at them from the edge of the reserves.
Ezemvelo’s response
Helicopters are not a panacea to the rhino poaching epidemic. They are part of the total solution or tool box. We are following a multipronged approach, which includes, among others, the following elements:
• equipping our rangers with paramilitary tactics and approach to ensure that they have a range of skills set, equipment and attributes to face aggressive and wellarmed poachers;
• the establishment of a competent central command control for coordination;
• creating a network of informers and cooperate with intelligence structures;
• collaboration with law enforcement agencies, the NPA and the courts;
• deployment of stateoftheart technology with early warning and tracking technology;
• the creation of alliances with private land owners in our province and neighbouring countries;
• the IPZ concept is key, to focus on where most of our assets are and deploy the bulk of our resources there; and
• establishing firm and mutually beneficial relations with our communities surrounding the reserves to be the eyes and ears of EKZNW.
No aerial surveillance void
It is also not true that there has been a void of aerial surveillance since the lapse of the helicopter contract. This is a convenient fabrication of a perception by those with a vested interest and personal agenda in the helicopter tender. We have always had access to the gamecapture helicopter for hot pursuits, evacuation and intelligencedriven deployments.
We are also fortunate to have a national deployment of the police under Operation Rhino 6, which comes with a helicopter from time to time. We cannot use the helicopter to conduct daily patrol in the reserves as such an approach would be prohibitingly expensive.
The SAPS and SANDF also don’t use their helicopters for daily patrols but on specific interventions. Each of our helicopters is allocated 35 hours per month and it would exhaust its allocation in two days if it were to be used for patrols. Helicopters spring into action after a rhino has been shot, to pursue suspects. We should not confuse the public by creating false expectations that helicopters will stop rhino poaching. It hasn’t happened in Kruger with four stateoftheart helicopters. It won’t happen in our back yard either.
EKZNW is considering establishing its own airwing with a larger helicopter like the Squirrel or equivalent, and a Cesna 182 fixedwing aircraft to strengthen the tool box to fight poaching and perform other conservation work such as population monitoring and surveys.
NOTE Dr David Mabunda is chief executive officer of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and writes in his official capacity. This article was published on the Ezemvelo Facebook page.
“Helicopters down — rhino poaching up” … not quite so simple it seems. 0
BY NEWSROOM ON FEBRUARY 26, 2016 WILDLIFE
A recent article in The Witness suggested that rhino poaching the South Africa’s KwaZulu Natal province (KZN) was drastically up due to the grounding of certain helicopter anti poaching services. David Mabunda, erstwhile head of Sanparks and now CEO of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, responds pointing out that KZN’s current rhino poaching surge is a much wider issue that includes drought, tighter and more successful security in Kruger which is diverting poachers elsewhere, and a greater interest on the part of locally based crime syndicates.
Helicopters: Just one tool in the fight against poaching.
BY DAVID MABUNDA | EZEMVELO KZN WILDLIFE | 26 FEBRUARY 2016
Rhino poaching is a complex issue and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife is implementing the necessary multi-pronged approach.
The front page article titled “Helicopters down — rhino poaching up” (The Witness, February 23) refers. It will be wrong for the current biodiversity leadership in our province, country and continent to remain silent and allow unscientific and untested artificial conjecture to be paraded as fact in the public domain and mislead the unsuspecting public.
I have experienced poaching of all species, rhino included, in my previous roles as director of the Kruger National Park and CEO of Sanparks and currently as CEO of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. This long history of service to my country qualifies me to speak with authority when it comes to the subject of rhino poaching specifically and biodiversity conservation in general.
A simplistic notion
The notion that helicopters can stop rhino poaching trivialises and makes a complex subject simplistic. There is no empirical evidence that shows the existence of a correlation between rhino poaching and operating helicopters as a tool to stop the scourge. If I’m mistaken, please provide me the reference.
There are many more variables that influence the increase of rhino poaching incidents in KZN than the helicopter tender (which is already awarded). We all know that the Kruger National Park is the epicentre of rhino poaching in South Africa because of the porous long border with Mozambique, which is the main launching pad of incursions into the Kruger.
Kruger’s ring of steel making KZN a soft target
Recently, the Kruger has established a ring of steel named the Intensive Protection Zone (IPZ) in the south of the park to protect 80 per cent of its rhino population with modern ground and aerial technology, which has repelled poachers with great success. Unfortunately, this fortification has diverted the poachers to KZN, which is seen as a soft target.
We are aware that rhino poaching has attracted criminals who were previously involved in vehicle hijacking, bank robberies, cashintransit heists and ATMbombing crimes, because of the low risks and high returns to the criminals. Wellknown syndicates from other provinces have also turned to KZN and are working with local criminal networks in the province.
Changing crime trends
In previous years, arrests were mainly against Mozambicans, Vietnamese, Chinese and other foreign nationalities. Lately, the trend has changed and we are arresting many South Africans at both level one and two categories. The situation is compounded by the increasing levels of corruption among our ranks, the police, immigration officials and other law enforcement and professional services such as veterinarians. The number of corruption cases in wildlife management is making our efforts to achieve success more difficult.
Drought and moonlight
There are also ecological factors not related to helicopters that have played a significant role in the increase of rhino poaching incidents in the past few months. In the past six months, we have experienced a brighter moonlight period than usual. Poachers hunt at night, although they enter the reserves when nobody is watching and perch themselves at high points where they can survey their target areas. A bright moonlight is a poacher’s paradise. Unfortunately, none of our helicopters can fly at night or during bad weather, which is another reason why one cannot be 100 per cent reliant on helicopters.
The effect of the drought has had devastating consequences for the fight against rhino poaching. The grass and forest vegetation that provided rhinos with cover is very thin and low. Some parts of our rhino reserves have literally been transformed into deserts and the rhinos are sitting ducks. The lack of water has channelled rhino and other species to the few watering holes left and to fence-line areas, making it easy for poachers to shoot at them from the edge of the reserves.
Ezemvelo’s response
Helicopters are not a panacea to the rhino poaching epidemic. They are part of the total solution or tool box. We are following a multipronged approach, which includes, among others, the following elements:
• equipping our rangers with paramilitary tactics and approach to ensure that they have a range of skills set, equipment and attributes to face aggressive and wellarmed poachers;
• the establishment of a competent central command control for coordination;
• creating a network of informers and cooperate with intelligence structures;
• collaboration with law enforcement agencies, the NPA and the courts;
• deployment of stateoftheart technology with early warning and tracking technology;
• the creation of alliances with private land owners in our province and neighbouring countries;
• the IPZ concept is key, to focus on where most of our assets are and deploy the bulk of our resources there; and
• establishing firm and mutually beneficial relations with our communities surrounding the reserves to be the eyes and ears of EKZNW.
No aerial surveillance void
It is also not true that there has been a void of aerial surveillance since the lapse of the helicopter contract. This is a convenient fabrication of a perception by those with a vested interest and personal agenda in the helicopter tender. We have always had access to the gamecapture helicopter for hot pursuits, evacuation and intelligencedriven deployments.
We are also fortunate to have a national deployment of the police under Operation Rhino 6, which comes with a helicopter from time to time. We cannot use the helicopter to conduct daily patrol in the reserves as such an approach would be prohibitingly expensive.
The SAPS and SANDF also don’t use their helicopters for daily patrols but on specific interventions. Each of our helicopters is allocated 35 hours per month and it would exhaust its allocation in two days if it were to be used for patrols. Helicopters spring into action after a rhino has been shot, to pursue suspects. We should not confuse the public by creating false expectations that helicopters will stop rhino poaching. It hasn’t happened in Kruger with four stateoftheart helicopters. It won’t happen in our back yard either.
EKZNW is considering establishing its own airwing with a larger helicopter like the Squirrel or equivalent, and a Cesna 182 fixedwing aircraft to strengthen the tool box to fight poaching and perform other conservation work such as population monitoring and surveys.
NOTE Dr David Mabunda is chief executive officer of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and writes in his official capacity. This article was published on the Ezemvelo Facebook page.
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Richprins
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Re: Poaching in KZN
BY DAVID MABUNDA | EZEMVELO KZN WILDLIFE | 26 FEBRUARY 2016
Rhino poaching is a complex issue and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife is implementing the necessary multi-pronged approach.
The front page article titled “Helicopters down — rhino poaching up” (The Witness, February 23) refers. It will be wrong for the current biodiversity leadership in our province, country and continent to remain silent and allow unscientific and untested artificial conjecture to be paraded as fact in the public domain and mislead the unsuspecting public.
Sorry, David. This is rubbish, and you cannot speak for biodiversity leadership in our country. Maybe you can speak for the "current" version, a thinly-veiled, opening, knee-jerk attempt at ridiculing older conservationists, with the political smoke and mirrors thrown in there, as usual. But agreed, the "current" biodiversity leadership spout 'unscientific and untested artificial conjecture" at regular intervals to excuse their misdeeds at increasing intervals. The "previous" leadership only managed to save the rhino in SA from extinction. What do they know. The public is neither misled or unsuspecting regarding conservation. Politics, maybe.
I have experienced poaching of all species, rhino included, in my previous roles as director of the Kruger National Park and CEO of Sanparks and currently as CEO of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. This long history of service to my country qualifies me to speak with authority when it comes to the subject of rhino poaching specifically and biodiversity conservation in general.
I've never heard of a true antipoacher refer to him or herself as "serving my country"? That is the last thing they would say, and their mindset is actually protecting a species for the world, not a country or a race or a government. Under your leadership at SANParks and Kruger rhino poaching absolutely skyrocketed! And as a humble public servant your bank balance grew exponentially, although nothing to do with poaching.
A simplistic notion
The notion that helicopters can stop rhino poaching trivialises and makes a complex subject simplistic. There is no empirical evidence that shows the existence of a correlation between rhino poaching and operating helicopters as a tool to stop the scourge. If I’m mistaken, please provide me the reference.
I refer to donations of new helicopters since the beginning of poaching, as prioritised by antipoachers. See Buffet foundation etc, and the below links over only the last 2 years:
"We've got one Intelligence Tactical Regiment from Potchefstroom, which specialises in intelligence gathering. Special Forces and 21 Batallion, both in the park and on the borders," says Colonel Bobelo. The ground troops are supported by helicopters for a speedy chase of poachers. "The helicopters contribute a lot in terms of identifying areas where poachers are operating," he adds. it became increasingly important to rope in the army when syndicates began using helicopters"
http://www.dod.mil.za/operations/poaching/rhino.htm
Poaching gangs use increasingly sophisticated methods, including helicopters and night vision equipment to track rhinos, and veterinary drugs to knock them out.
This means countries and conservationists need to match this level of technology to be able to tackle the problem, alongside working to reduce demand.
http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endange ... an_rhinos/
The addition of aerial support and the use of canine units are paying off in the Kruger National Park’s (KNP) fight against rhino poaching.
A total of 22 alleged poachers have been apprehended in the KNP since the beginning of April. This brought the total of arrests since January to 56.
Park rangers, bolstered by additional aerial and canine support, managed to substantially improve the effectiveness of anti-poaching operations inside the park.
Helicopter, rangers and canine units at work during simulation
Helicopter, rangers and canine units at work during simulation
In a dramatic turn of events a week ago, SANParks rangers, supported by the dog unit, the SAPS reaction team and a helicopter donated by the Howard Buffet Foundation, caught two suspected poachers.
http://lowvelder.co.za/266798/helicopte ... -poachers/
The South African National Parks (SANParks) has added another rotary-winged aircraft to the arsenal of weapons it is using to combat rhino poaching, particularly in its flagship Kruger National Park.
The helicopter, an Airbus Helicopters AS-250B3e, was officially handed over to SANParks by Airbus Helicopters South Africa on Thursday and will, according to board chairman Kuseni Dlamini “further boost Kruger’s air mobility” in anti- and counter-poaching operations.
The newest addition to the park’s aircraft fleet is the second of its type and like the first AS-350 was acquired using funds made available by the Howard G Buffet Foundation.
Last year the American philanthropist made a grant of more than R254 million to SANParks for use in combatting rhino poaching. The first AS-350 arrived in Skukuza in September last year.
The second helicopter was acquired using an additional R37.7 million from the same funding source. It is also configured for night flying and will, according to Dlamini, “improve our response time in dealing with contacts and other incidents in the park”.
“This helicopter will further assist in quick tactical response particularly at night where we have been lacking due to limited resources and it is only proper to thank the Howard G Buffet Foundation for bringing this much needed resource to our fight of curbing poaching.”
http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?o ... Itemid=188
“In accordance with the much needed aerial support to the anti-poaching teams around the clock, this helicopter will further assist in quick tactical response particularly at night where we have been lacking due to limited resources, therefore it is only proper to thank HGBF for bringing this much needed resource in our fight to curb poaching.”
https://www.sanparks.org/about/news/?id=56336
There are many more variables that influence the increase of rhino poaching incidents in KZN than the helicopter tender (which is already awarded). We all know that the Kruger National Park is the epicentre of rhino poaching in South Africa because of the porous long border with Mozambique, which is the main launching pad of incursions into the Kruger.
Recently, the Kruger has established a ring of steel named the Intensive Protection Zone (IPZ) in the south of the park to protect 80 per cent of its rhino population with modern ground and aerial technology, which has repelled poachers with great success. Unfortunately, this fortification has diverted the poachers to KZN, which is seen as a soft target.
Nonsense! Rhino poaching is going on at a steady rate in Kruger, IPZ or not. And as can be seen from the above quotes, even if poaching has declined there, helicopters play a major part in that, so the argument that they won't help in KZN is disingenuous, as politicians would say. If KZN were a soft target, surely it would have been the first port of call 5 years ago? Why don't the poachers on the "long porous border" of Kruger then not just concentrate on areas adjacent to Kruger and closer to home? Massingir, the poaching "headquarters", is a hundreds of km from Imfolozi? And is it not an indictment to say that Kruger's border is so porous? Why did that happen while you were serving your country, David? A patriot defends his borders, surely?
We are aware that rhino poaching has attracted criminals who were previously involved in vehicle hijacking, bank robberies, cashintransit heists and ATMbombing crimes, because of the low risks and high returns to the criminals. Wellknown syndicates from other provinces have also turned to KZN and are working with local criminal networks in the province.
Is it now Mozambicans or locals targeting KZN? I'm confused? So porous borders between provinces? You do not make sense, man!
Changing crime trends
In previous years, arrests were mainly against Mozambicans, Vietnamese, Chinese and other foreign nationalities. Lately, the trend has changed and we are arresting many South Africans at both level one and two categories. The situation is compounded by the increasing levels of corruption among our ranks, the police, immigration officials and other law enforcement and professional services such as veterinarians. The number of corruption cases in wildlife management is making our efforts to achieve success more difficult.
What does this have to do with helicopters? Is the corruption in "current" wildlife management, or amongst "current biodiversity leaders" or what?
Drought and moonlight
There are also ecological factors not related to helicopters that have played a significant role in the increase of rhino poaching incidents in the past few months. In the past six months, we have experienced a brighter moonlight period than usual.
You must be joking! Really? Does the moon shine brighter in KZN than in the rest of SA, and attract poachers there? I give up.
Poachers hunt at night, although they enter the reserves when nobody is watching and perch themselves at high points where they can survey their target areas. A bright moonlight is a poacher’s paradise. Unfortunately, none of our helicopters can fly at night or during bad weather, which is another reason why one cannot be 100 per cent reliant on helicopters.
Maybe tender for helicopters with night vision and bad-weather capability, as was so lauded regarding the Kruger donations? It is not rocket science and there SHOULD BE plenty of money from donors if one does a bit of effort. Anyway, the choppers can fly in that incredible bright moonlight.
The effect of the drought has had devastating consequences for the fight against rhino poaching. The grass and forest vegetation that provided rhinos with cover is very thin and low. Some parts of our rhino reserves have literally been transformed into deserts and the rhinos are sitting ducks. The lack of water has channelled rhino and other species to the few watering holes left and to fence-line areas, making it easy for poachers to shoot at them from the edge of the reserves.
Nonsense again. Rhino poaching has happened regardless of climate condition over the years. White rhino, the main target, especially avoid dense cover. And no rhino is concealed by grass. Poachers follow tracks, or use informants, they don't sit on hilltops in the moonlight...what is the point? When do they then run down to shoot a rhino, unless the rhino is right under the hill? And they If there is water laid on next to fences, that does not make sense either, even for "current biodiversity leaders". YES, rhino are dependant on water. F-all to do with helicopters, and there is drought around the country, including the ring of steel in Kruger. Why is KZN different?
Ezemvelo’s response
Helicopters are not a panacea to the rhino poaching epidemic. They are part of the total solution or tool box. We are following a multipronged approach, which includes, among others, the following elements:
• equipping our rangers with paramilitary tactics and approach to ensure that they have a range of skills set, equipment and attributes to face aggressive and wellarmed poachers;
• the establishment of a competent central command control for coordination;
• creating a network of informers and cooperate with intelligence structures;
• collaboration with law enforcement agencies, the NPA and the courts;
• deployment of stateoftheart technology with early warning and tracking technology;
• the creation of alliances with private land owners in our province and neighbouring countries;
• the IPZ concept is key, to focus on where most of our assets are and deploy the bulk of our resources there; and
• establishing firm and mutually beneficial relations with our communities surrounding the reserves to be the eyes and ears of EKZNW.
Excellent! But I sincerely doubt if any of the above would not place a high premium on the access to helicopters, even daytime ones.
It is also not true that there has been a void of aerial surveillance since the lapse of the helicopter contract. This is a convenient fabrication of a perception by those with a vested interest and personal agenda in the helicopter tender. We have always had access to the gamecapture helicopter for hot pursuits, evacuation and intelligencedriven deployments.
So one helicopter, not able to fly at night, and meant for game capture? Who has a vested interest regarding this mess, other than the SA public? Don't make your problems our problems, David!
We are also fortunate to have a national deployment of the police under Operation Rhino 6, which comes with a helicopter from time to time. We cannot use the helicopter to conduct daily patrol in the reserves as such an approach would be prohibitingly expensive.
The SAPS and SANDF also don’t use their helicopters for daily patrols but on specific interventions. Each of our helicopters is allocated 35 hours per month and it would exhaust its allocation in two days if it were to be used for patrols. Helicopters spring into action after a rhino has been shot, to pursue suspects. We should not confuse the public by creating false expectations that helicopters will stop rhino poaching. It hasn’t happened in Kruger with four stateoftheart helicopters. It won’t happen in our back yard either.
That is the point! Sort it out! If it has worked in Kruger, how can you say it is irrelevant in KZN?
EKZNW is considering establishing its own airwing with a larger helicopter like the Squirrel or equivalent, and a Cesna 182 fixedwing aircraft to strengthen the tool box to fight poaching and perform other conservation work such as population monitoring and surveys.
NOTE Dr David Mabunda is chief executive officer of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and writes in his official capacity. This article was published on the Ezemvelo Facebook page.
Dr Mabunda used to be a well-respected member of the Lowveld Community here, but I am disappointed by this rubbish. I am more sure Dr Mabunda has become a politician rather than a conservationist.
Rhino poaching is a complex issue and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife is implementing the necessary multi-pronged approach.
The front page article titled “Helicopters down — rhino poaching up” (The Witness, February 23) refers. It will be wrong for the current biodiversity leadership in our province, country and continent to remain silent and allow unscientific and untested artificial conjecture to be paraded as fact in the public domain and mislead the unsuspecting public.
Sorry, David. This is rubbish, and you cannot speak for biodiversity leadership in our country. Maybe you can speak for the "current" version, a thinly-veiled, opening, knee-jerk attempt at ridiculing older conservationists, with the political smoke and mirrors thrown in there, as usual. But agreed, the "current" biodiversity leadership spout 'unscientific and untested artificial conjecture" at regular intervals to excuse their misdeeds at increasing intervals. The "previous" leadership only managed to save the rhino in SA from extinction. What do they know. The public is neither misled or unsuspecting regarding conservation. Politics, maybe.
I have experienced poaching of all species, rhino included, in my previous roles as director of the Kruger National Park and CEO of Sanparks and currently as CEO of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. This long history of service to my country qualifies me to speak with authority when it comes to the subject of rhino poaching specifically and biodiversity conservation in general.
I've never heard of a true antipoacher refer to him or herself as "serving my country"? That is the last thing they would say, and their mindset is actually protecting a species for the world, not a country or a race or a government. Under your leadership at SANParks and Kruger rhino poaching absolutely skyrocketed! And as a humble public servant your bank balance grew exponentially, although nothing to do with poaching.
A simplistic notion
The notion that helicopters can stop rhino poaching trivialises and makes a complex subject simplistic. There is no empirical evidence that shows the existence of a correlation between rhino poaching and operating helicopters as a tool to stop the scourge. If I’m mistaken, please provide me the reference.
I refer to donations of new helicopters since the beginning of poaching, as prioritised by antipoachers. See Buffet foundation etc, and the below links over only the last 2 years:
"We've got one Intelligence Tactical Regiment from Potchefstroom, which specialises in intelligence gathering. Special Forces and 21 Batallion, both in the park and on the borders," says Colonel Bobelo. The ground troops are supported by helicopters for a speedy chase of poachers. "The helicopters contribute a lot in terms of identifying areas where poachers are operating," he adds. it became increasingly important to rope in the army when syndicates began using helicopters"
http://www.dod.mil.za/operations/poaching/rhino.htm
Poaching gangs use increasingly sophisticated methods, including helicopters and night vision equipment to track rhinos, and veterinary drugs to knock them out.
This means countries and conservationists need to match this level of technology to be able to tackle the problem, alongside working to reduce demand.
http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endange ... an_rhinos/
The addition of aerial support and the use of canine units are paying off in the Kruger National Park’s (KNP) fight against rhino poaching.
A total of 22 alleged poachers have been apprehended in the KNP since the beginning of April. This brought the total of arrests since January to 56.
Park rangers, bolstered by additional aerial and canine support, managed to substantially improve the effectiveness of anti-poaching operations inside the park.
Helicopter, rangers and canine units at work during simulation
Helicopter, rangers and canine units at work during simulation
In a dramatic turn of events a week ago, SANParks rangers, supported by the dog unit, the SAPS reaction team and a helicopter donated by the Howard Buffet Foundation, caught two suspected poachers.
http://lowvelder.co.za/266798/helicopte ... -poachers/
The South African National Parks (SANParks) has added another rotary-winged aircraft to the arsenal of weapons it is using to combat rhino poaching, particularly in its flagship Kruger National Park.
The helicopter, an Airbus Helicopters AS-250B3e, was officially handed over to SANParks by Airbus Helicopters South Africa on Thursday and will, according to board chairman Kuseni Dlamini “further boost Kruger’s air mobility” in anti- and counter-poaching operations.
The newest addition to the park’s aircraft fleet is the second of its type and like the first AS-350 was acquired using funds made available by the Howard G Buffet Foundation.
Last year the American philanthropist made a grant of more than R254 million to SANParks for use in combatting rhino poaching. The first AS-350 arrived in Skukuza in September last year.
The second helicopter was acquired using an additional R37.7 million from the same funding source. It is also configured for night flying and will, according to Dlamini, “improve our response time in dealing with contacts and other incidents in the park”.
“This helicopter will further assist in quick tactical response particularly at night where we have been lacking due to limited resources and it is only proper to thank the Howard G Buffet Foundation for bringing this much needed resource to our fight of curbing poaching.”
http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?o ... Itemid=188
“In accordance with the much needed aerial support to the anti-poaching teams around the clock, this helicopter will further assist in quick tactical response particularly at night where we have been lacking due to limited resources, therefore it is only proper to thank HGBF for bringing this much needed resource in our fight to curb poaching.”
https://www.sanparks.org/about/news/?id=56336
There are many more variables that influence the increase of rhino poaching incidents in KZN than the helicopter tender (which is already awarded). We all know that the Kruger National Park is the epicentre of rhino poaching in South Africa because of the porous long border with Mozambique, which is the main launching pad of incursions into the Kruger.
Recently, the Kruger has established a ring of steel named the Intensive Protection Zone (IPZ) in the south of the park to protect 80 per cent of its rhino population with modern ground and aerial technology, which has repelled poachers with great success. Unfortunately, this fortification has diverted the poachers to KZN, which is seen as a soft target.
Nonsense! Rhino poaching is going on at a steady rate in Kruger, IPZ or not. And as can be seen from the above quotes, even if poaching has declined there, helicopters play a major part in that, so the argument that they won't help in KZN is disingenuous, as politicians would say. If KZN were a soft target, surely it would have been the first port of call 5 years ago? Why don't the poachers on the "long porous border" of Kruger then not just concentrate on areas adjacent to Kruger and closer to home? Massingir, the poaching "headquarters", is a hundreds of km from Imfolozi? And is it not an indictment to say that Kruger's border is so porous? Why did that happen while you were serving your country, David? A patriot defends his borders, surely?
We are aware that rhino poaching has attracted criminals who were previously involved in vehicle hijacking, bank robberies, cashintransit heists and ATMbombing crimes, because of the low risks and high returns to the criminals. Wellknown syndicates from other provinces have also turned to KZN and are working with local criminal networks in the province.
Is it now Mozambicans or locals targeting KZN? I'm confused? So porous borders between provinces? You do not make sense, man!
Changing crime trends
In previous years, arrests were mainly against Mozambicans, Vietnamese, Chinese and other foreign nationalities. Lately, the trend has changed and we are arresting many South Africans at both level one and two categories. The situation is compounded by the increasing levels of corruption among our ranks, the police, immigration officials and other law enforcement and professional services such as veterinarians. The number of corruption cases in wildlife management is making our efforts to achieve success more difficult.
What does this have to do with helicopters? Is the corruption in "current" wildlife management, or amongst "current biodiversity leaders" or what?
Drought and moonlight
There are also ecological factors not related to helicopters that have played a significant role in the increase of rhino poaching incidents in the past few months. In the past six months, we have experienced a brighter moonlight period than usual.
You must be joking! Really? Does the moon shine brighter in KZN than in the rest of SA, and attract poachers there? I give up.
Poachers hunt at night, although they enter the reserves when nobody is watching and perch themselves at high points where they can survey their target areas. A bright moonlight is a poacher’s paradise. Unfortunately, none of our helicopters can fly at night or during bad weather, which is another reason why one cannot be 100 per cent reliant on helicopters.
Maybe tender for helicopters with night vision and bad-weather capability, as was so lauded regarding the Kruger donations? It is not rocket science and there SHOULD BE plenty of money from donors if one does a bit of effort. Anyway, the choppers can fly in that incredible bright moonlight.
The effect of the drought has had devastating consequences for the fight against rhino poaching. The grass and forest vegetation that provided rhinos with cover is very thin and low. Some parts of our rhino reserves have literally been transformed into deserts and the rhinos are sitting ducks. The lack of water has channelled rhino and other species to the few watering holes left and to fence-line areas, making it easy for poachers to shoot at them from the edge of the reserves.
Nonsense again. Rhino poaching has happened regardless of climate condition over the years. White rhino, the main target, especially avoid dense cover. And no rhino is concealed by grass. Poachers follow tracks, or use informants, they don't sit on hilltops in the moonlight...what is the point? When do they then run down to shoot a rhino, unless the rhino is right under the hill? And they If there is water laid on next to fences, that does not make sense either, even for "current biodiversity leaders". YES, rhino are dependant on water. F-all to do with helicopters, and there is drought around the country, including the ring of steel in Kruger. Why is KZN different?
Ezemvelo’s response
Helicopters are not a panacea to the rhino poaching epidemic. They are part of the total solution or tool box. We are following a multipronged approach, which includes, among others, the following elements:
• equipping our rangers with paramilitary tactics and approach to ensure that they have a range of skills set, equipment and attributes to face aggressive and wellarmed poachers;
• the establishment of a competent central command control for coordination;
• creating a network of informers and cooperate with intelligence structures;
• collaboration with law enforcement agencies, the NPA and the courts;
• deployment of stateoftheart technology with early warning and tracking technology;
• the creation of alliances with private land owners in our province and neighbouring countries;
• the IPZ concept is key, to focus on where most of our assets are and deploy the bulk of our resources there; and
• establishing firm and mutually beneficial relations with our communities surrounding the reserves to be the eyes and ears of EKZNW.
Excellent! But I sincerely doubt if any of the above would not place a high premium on the access to helicopters, even daytime ones.
It is also not true that there has been a void of aerial surveillance since the lapse of the helicopter contract. This is a convenient fabrication of a perception by those with a vested interest and personal agenda in the helicopter tender. We have always had access to the gamecapture helicopter for hot pursuits, evacuation and intelligencedriven deployments.
So one helicopter, not able to fly at night, and meant for game capture? Who has a vested interest regarding this mess, other than the SA public? Don't make your problems our problems, David!
We are also fortunate to have a national deployment of the police under Operation Rhino 6, which comes with a helicopter from time to time. We cannot use the helicopter to conduct daily patrol in the reserves as such an approach would be prohibitingly expensive.
The SAPS and SANDF also don’t use their helicopters for daily patrols but on specific interventions. Each of our helicopters is allocated 35 hours per month and it would exhaust its allocation in two days if it were to be used for patrols. Helicopters spring into action after a rhino has been shot, to pursue suspects. We should not confuse the public by creating false expectations that helicopters will stop rhino poaching. It hasn’t happened in Kruger with four stateoftheart helicopters. It won’t happen in our back yard either.
That is the point! Sort it out! If it has worked in Kruger, how can you say it is irrelevant in KZN?
EKZNW is considering establishing its own airwing with a larger helicopter like the Squirrel or equivalent, and a Cesna 182 fixedwing aircraft to strengthen the tool box to fight poaching and perform other conservation work such as population monitoring and surveys.
NOTE Dr David Mabunda is chief executive officer of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and writes in his official capacity. This article was published on the Ezemvelo Facebook page.
Dr Mabunda used to be a well-respected member of the Lowveld Community here, but I am disappointed by this rubbish. I am more sure Dr Mabunda has become a politician rather than a conservationist.
Last edited by Richprins on Sat Feb 27, 2016 10:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Poaching in KZN
Thanks for the rebuttal, RP. As a foreigner, I certainly don't have enough knowledge of all the angles to this issue, as well as the politics involved, so I appreciate you taking your time to answer some of the issues in the article. 
