Rhino Poaching 2017-2023

[Flutterby]

[nan]

[Richprins]

Over 350 people bust for illegal rhino horn trade in 2017

Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa says it’s important that arrests translate into successful investigations and prosecutions.


Kevin Brandt | about 3 hours ago

CAPE TOWN - More than 350 people have been arrested in connection with the illegal rhino horn trade in South Africa this year.

During a media briefing at Parliament, Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa has revealed a drop in rhino poaching.

The Department of Environmental Affairs says collaboration with entities like the police and the South African Revenue Services (Sars) is yielding positive results in particular within the Kruger National Park.

Molewa says it’s important that arrests translate into successful investigations and prosecutions.

“The number of arrests inside the Kruger National Park totalled 90 alleged poachers with 112 arrested adjacent the Kruger National Park.”

Molewa has also lauded the department’s biological management intervention in rhino conservation.

South African National Parks has this year rescued four rhino orphans and 44 are being kept at various facilities.

http://ewn.co.za/2017/07/24/over-350-pe ... de-in-2017

[Richprins]

Wonder what the poaching figures are now...no media briefings anymore...

[Anton]

I don't think I want to honestly know. The rate of destruction is so frighteningly unsustainable already Im sure the true figures are going to be absolutely chilling.

I just joined Africa Wild and Im already completely traumatised by reading the Rhino threads.

I so well remember the good "old days" when Hluhluwe was world famous for having brought the White Rhino back from the brink of extinction.

In fact the most wonderful treasured memory I have is as a child of three or four sitting on the neck of a tall strapping ranger going out to meet with the Rhino in Hluhluwe. His gleaming leather boots striding out strong and confident through the tall veld grass while he sang a low soothing Zulu song about the wonderful happy Rhino we were about to meet. Just me and him the gentle evening sun, wonderful bush, jumping grass-hoppers and air full of calm and peace. As confident as I was made to feel nothing however quite prepared me for that extremely close encounter, though. My first reaction was to instantly shoot a shot of pee down his neck which he graciously and silently found very amusing. Squeezing my legs tightly he moved ever forward. There were at least seven rhino crashing and chasing one another around in tight circles, squealing, snorting and kicking up dust. I can't say I wasn't very very relieved when he decided to turn for home, but my relief was also very short lived. Just when I thought I was safe he swung me down putting me on a big rock some distance from the Rhino. The ground felt electrifying and I couldn't release my iron tight grip on his shirt. He knelt down next to me quickly and pointed through the bush excitedly. A tiny, brilliant, little new rhino calf as cute as can be bounced out followed by his robust mother swinging through the bush.

The look on his face was something I will never forget, pure unbridled joy. His mouth, a tight wide open frozen grin from ear to ear his eyes welling up in tears of pride. Despite the oppressing politics of the day for millions, such was his absolute pride in this one collective achievement. Those moments, moments of rare unity and absolute solidarity in that small wild distant part of Southern Africa are ones I've never let go. They got me through the long dark years in political exile, they made me who I am. They made us who we are.

We watched the Rhino vanish into the thicket, then he hoisted me back up onto his shoulders and trotted the whole way back to the Landie, some good distance up a steep hill. He sang as loudly as he could in the closing dusk, his lungs to breaking point. He couldn't wait long enough to put me down before excitedly reporting that single birth. Sticky with urine he explained every detail me still clutching to his neck like some wild, wide eyed, blonde tokoloshe that he hadn't been able to shake. I think from that day forward I also knew what I needed most was a horse in my life....LOL. As the stories spread from then on in I was christened Rhino, all and sundry used to call out my name. Being autistic they didn't expect a much of a response from me, at most all they got was a wry smile of recognition. That was enough, more than most ever got, so they also never gave up on me. I was already "elephant", the one that moves absolutely silently. Now however I became everything from the Rhino King of the Zulu to the little Rhino that peed in his pants!

The understanding of autism in those days was such that I think my late father out of frustration had sent me on that mission to try an elicit some kind of response out of me. He never got it. But I stored it all up in my head, yes most definitely.

It's just heart breaking to think we came so far with saving the Rhino just to see it all undone like this. People long passed lived and died Rhino conservation, for what!? Im positive if we all collectively put our minds to this we can achieve another miracle and save the Rhino. Im absolutely sure we can. Create such an environment that this just cannot happen amongst us. We just have to, it's the only way.

[Flutterby]

Welcome to Africa Wild Anton!

What a moving story!! Thank you for sharing it with us!! I would love to hear more of your tales from the african bush.

[Anton]

Thanks Flutterby!

[Lisbeth]

A warm welcome to Africa Wild, Anton

Tears came to my eyes while reading your touching story. Like Flutterby, I would love to hear more stories. I am sure that this is not the only one

[Richprins]

Good one, and welcome, Anton!

[nan]

welcome Anton