Rhino Poaching 2017-2023

[Richprins]

In a case like this, having telephone coverage all over, would speed things up.

Cellphone coverage was discussed many years ago already. The consensus was that it would help poachers more than it would help rangers. Law-enforcement have their own communications, and the tourist did the right thing here, normally some plan can be made even in remote areas!

[Lisbeth]

If they say so....and they are probably right

[Richprins]

Rangers kill alleged rhino poacher
A suspected rhino poacher was killed during a shoot-out with Kruger National Park rangers near Crocodile Bridge on Wednesday afternoon.
7 hours ago

KOMATIPOORT -SANParks spokesman, Janine Raftopoulos confirmed rangers conducting follow-up operations in the Crocodile Bridge section of the park made contact with a group of suspected poachers. During contact one suspect was fatally injured.

A solid source confirmed that one of them ran towards a ranger after being told to stop and was shot and killed. Another poacher got away.

The deceased was found in possession of a .375 rifle with a silencer and three rounds. They were still trying to establish if the poacher had killed any animal before the shoot-out.

https://lowvelder.co.za/439422/rangers- ... o-poacher/

[PJL]

Unfortunately one of the private game reserves here lost a rhino to poaching the other day. I know the owners and they are devastated

[Richprins]

[Lisbeth]

[Flutterby]

[Richprins]

Very good story by Elize Parker here:


https://rhombusmedia.co.za/2018/07/09/a ... comment-55

[Lisbeth]

Rhino killed in Eastern Cape

Provincial rhino death toll rises to 11

BY GARETH WILSON - 27 July 2018



A young black rhino was found dead on the Great Fish Nature Reserve on Thursday afternoon.

This is the third dead rhino to be killed in the province this month.

The latest poaching brings the current provincial rhino poaching death toll for the year to 11.

White rhinos are classified as “near threatened” while black rhinos are still seen as “critically endangered”.

Police spokesperson Colonel Sibongile Soci said the three-year-old bull was found shot. Both horns had been hacked off.

The discovery came while the reserve's rangers were on patrol.

Eastern Cape Commissioner Lieutenant-General Liziwe Ntshinga said the carcass was about three days old, suggesting that the animal was shot on Monday.

“We would like to reiterate that reserve owners check the game regularly, even the secluded or remote areas of the reserve. Police members visited the scene and are following up leads to track the suspects,” she added.

Officials said poachers were now using hunting rifles compared to tranquiliser darts previously.

Last year, 12 rhinos were killed in the Eastern Cape, compared with 19 killed in 2016.

[Richprins]

Rhinos killed near restcamp
Two rhino carcasses found in close proximity to each other and a major public road may indicate a new level of audacity in the actions of poachers in the Kruger National Park.
6 hours ago

Mariana Balt

MALALANE – The carcasses were found about 1,2 kilometres from each other, one last Thursday and the other last Friday, almost within sight of both Malalane Rest Camp and the Berg-en-Dal – Malalane Road (S110).

Evidence on the scenes suggests that the incidents took place within a day or two of each other and were probably executed by the same perpetrators.

These were the first poaching incidents in more than a year in that area.
Frik Rossouw, SANParks environmental crime-investigation services senior investigator, said on Tuesday that the second victim was an adult female white rhino with a calf of unknown age.

The latter was found alive when the carcass was discovered and removed by helicopter to a rehabilitation centre.

A routine forensic investigation of the scene was done by a team consisting of a SAPS detective and forensic investigator, as well as a tracker and environmental crime investigator.


Two spent cartridge cases were found on the second scene and one bullet was retrieved from the carcass. It seems the shot was fired from a .458 calibre firearm.
Both the animals’ horns were removed. Indications are that knives and an axe were used.

Due to scavengers that had already feasted on the carcasses, no tracks could be found, but according to Rossouw, other information gathered raises hope for a possible arrest.




He also told journalists accompanying the investigating team that a “smart fence”, that is one that would record any movement over it instead of just keeping animals in, would be a major help in the war against poaching.

Such a fence would, however, cost in the region of R1 million per kilometre.

Even that would only deter level-one poaching activities, since the perpetrators entering the park do so on command of levels three and higher.

In this regard Ike Phaala, media specialist of SANParks, said the organisation was highly pleased with a recent breakthrough when national parks and the Hawks arrested two so-called kingpins in June.

“We believe it will also lead to more arrests,” he said. “In the quest to curb poaching and arrest perpetrators, collaboration between the neighbouring countries is also of utmost importance.”

• Although not directly related to this incident, the MozParks Foundation announced on its Facebook page on Wednesday that its anti-poaching team at Sabie Game Park (in Mozambique) arrested a poacher armed with a silenced .375 rifle, ammunition and an axe. He also carried two changes of shoes to mislead tracking teams and enough food to last a few days.

MozParks Foundation was formed by the directors of Sabie Game Park and its associates to provide support to the private investors of wildlife conservation areas in their efforts to protect the conservation areas.

https://lowvelder.co.za/447597/rhinos-k ... -restcamp/