SANParks Annual Report 2014/15 on Rhino Management

[Toko]

South African National Parks Annual Report 2014/15 on Rhino Management:

SANParks embraces an integrated approach aligned with South Africa’s Rhino
Management Strategy that seeks to maintain persistent black and white rhino
populations throughout their distribution ranges. The approach identifies
that rhinos may play key roles in providing opportunities to improve people’s
livelihoods through aesthetic, ecological and economic values. Rhino poaching,
however, impacts on SANParks achieving these objectives. At the beginning of
the financial year, SANParks rhino population was estimated at between 8 991
and 10 305 animals in seven national parks comprising both black and white
rhino. At the close of the financial year, the rhino population was best estimated
between 8 573 to 9 984 animals across all seven national parks. In the case of
the rhino population in Kruger National Park, the combination of poaching and
natural deaths (12%) exceeded the annual birth rate (10,7%) recorded during
the reporting period.
For the period under review, SANParks lost 878 rhinos due to poaching, with
Kruger National Park being the most affected national park. This is 42,8% (from
615 to 878) more poached animals when compared to the same period of the
previous financial year. For the same reporting period, a total of 178 suspects
were arrested in the Kruger National Park in relation to rhino poaching.
In response to the poaching threat, the integrated response strategy rests on
four pillars.
§ Compulsory interventions directed at protecting rhinos using zonal
approaches with technology-led, intelligence-based and rhino
guardian options. Within Kruger National Park, SANParks countered the
escalating poaching threat with a composite response of effective law
enforcement by all branches of the Ranger Corps. Anti-poaching capacity
was enhanced through improved training, new equipment, strengthened
air and land mobility, developing night capability and implementing
customized technology. Close cooperation within the task force of
South African government security cluster participants as well as all
neighbouring parks and reserves within South Africa and in Mozambique,
ensured a record number of poachers arrested. These initiatives allowed
SANParks to increase the number of arrests in the face of an increasing
poacher onslaught.
Biological rhino conservation management interventions, including
strategic removals and the creation of rhino strongholds. SANParks
donated six black rhino to Botswana as a collaborative project with
North West Parks and Tourism. In addition, the strategic rhino removals
programme, an important measure to mitigate poaching risks in Kruger
National Park, included the relocation of rhino from poaching hotspots to
safe localities within the Kruger National Park, as well as the translocation
of rhino from Kruger National Park to other national parks.
§ The sustainable use intervention pillar is embedded in the Ministerial
Committee of Inquiry assessment process which SANParks participates in.
This process is on-going.
§ An implementation framework for the game changing intervention pillar
recognises the integration of disrupting organised crime with creating
opportunities of more equitable benefit sharing of ecosystem services
with local stakeholders.
The implementation of compulsory rhino protection as well as biological
management interventions within the Kruger National Park contributed to
increases in rhino numbers in the Intensive Protection Zone that offset the rhinos
lost in the Joint Protection Zone where numbers decreased. Operation Rhino
which consists of the National Wildlife Reaction Unit, SANParks, SAPS, NPA DEA
and SARS continues to function as a coordination mechanism of governments’
response to rhino poaching. In addition to the R33.5 million allocated by
government for rhino anti-poaching operations, SANParks continues to receive
financial and other support from private philanthropic organisations to improve
its operations.


http://pmg-assets.s3-website-eu-west-1. ... RKS_AR.pdf

[Toko]

[okie]

Somewhat negative results

[Lisbeth]

Are all these reports translated from another language? Some phrases seem to be translated by Google

[Richprins]

Poachers "neutralised"...

500 have been killed in that time space...


Interesting the rhino pic...same sighting as here?


https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=263&t=5035