Rhino Poaching 2016

[Richprins]

Natalie Malgas | about 4 hours ago

CAPE TOWN - Some Eastern Cape wildlife experts say there’s nowhere to hide from the onslaught of poachers in the province.

In a recent incident, three white rhinos, two females and one male, were targeted by poachers this week.

The two females were found dead but the male was found alive despite severe injuries to his legs and having his horn sawn off. The male rhino Bingo has now also died.

Two calves were orphaned following the attack.

Sibuya Game Reserve’s Charlene Watson says the mutilated animals were discovered during anti-poaching patrols.

“We are heartbroken and devastated; they are part of our family. They have left little ones who have gone to a reserve at Shamwari,” says Watson.

Watson adds that with the highest number of white rhino living in the region, several parks have been targeted by poachers in recent years.

“We have been incredibly lucky till now. This is the first incident we have had. We have always had the best security measures that we can possibly have in place, as have the other reserves. But you can’t cover all of the reserve all of the time.”



http://ewn.co.za/2016/03/28/Third-rhino ... ers-attack

[Lisbeth]

[Toko]

Rhino killings toll rises to 10
By Gareth Wilson on April 1, 2016


Two animals found shot dead near Grahamstown, one wounded

TWO black rhino – a mother and calf – have been shot dead and a third wounded in the latest poaching incident in the Eastern Cape.

The slaughter, on a farm outside Grahamstown yesterday, brings the total of rhino killed in the province since the beginning of the year to 10, with five of them killed last month alone.

Black rhino, with a total population of about 5 000 – about a quarter of the white rhino population – are listed as critically endangered.

Experts have warned that the increase in poaching in the province is due to the poachers seeking lesssecure reserves than the Kruger National Park. The rhino cow and her calf were spotted from the air by a pilot, who was on a game-capturing exercise on the Great Fish River Nature Reserve shortly after 8am.

The reserve – owned by the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency (ECPTA) – is a clustered conservation area comprising the Andries Vosloo Kudu Reserve, Double Drift Kudu Reserve and Double Drift Nature Reserve, about 35km f ro m Grahamstown.

The three rhino were shot on the Andries Vosloo Kudu Reserve. Eastern Cape police spokesman Colonel Sibongile Soci said a chopper pilot flying over a herd of buffalo at a game farm had spotted the two dead rhino at about 8.30am.

ECPTA chief executive Vuyani Dayimani declined to comment, re – ferring all questions to Economic Development, Environmental Af fairs and Tourism MEC Sakhumzi Somyo.

http://www.heraldlive.co.za/rhino-killi ... -rises-10/

[Lisbeth]

[Mel]

...Experts have warned that the increase in poaching in the province is due to the poachers seeking less secure reserves than the Kruger National Park.

Then why reporting so specificly and describing the whereabouts those rhinos where poached in the first place. Giving up all private places where rhinos can found and it's not exactly rocket science that those farms / reserves can't afford the same Standard of security compared to the popular bigger parks.

[PennyinSA]

I am reliably informed that there was more than the one rhino poached near Satara a few days ago - there werein fact 4. The first carcass was discovered by guests on their morning drive just past the Sweni turnoff. Interestingly enough many people who were on the night drive the previous evening saw the self same rhino very much alive. Why are there so many poachings close to Satara camp? Something is not right here! I have said over and over again that there needs to be surprise raids on ALL the staff camps and methinks Sanparks would be shocked at what they uncover! Another two rhino poached at the Bloemfontein zoo - this one absolutely smacks of an inside job and it is not the first occasion that this particular zoo has been in the spotlight.

So if we take the 4 in the Satara area, the 2 in Grahamstown, 3 the previous week in the Eastern Cape, 4 in the Limpopo area and the 2 in Bloemfontein this comes to a staggering 15 rhino (that we know about) in the past week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Lisbeth]

Thank you, Penny

[Mel]

Unfortunately many people don't valuate the diverse fauna as much as we do and probably see it as a luxury convenenience or such.
Hence they'll exploit the natural "resources" until there are none anymore. Short term thinking I so fail to understand the
inside jobs... At least those people got a job that earns them a living...

[Richprins]

Ja, there is really no particular reason to believe Kruger is "more secure"...in fact more and more brazen entries over the last year!

Antipoaching is well aware of the inside threat, as Ken Maggs said in that interview.

it is plain greed, Mello, end of story. No excuses at all, IMO.

[Toko]

http://lowvelder.co.za/329172/the-war-o ... -new-face/

higher incidence in the number of elephants poached. Projections show that there will be more of these animals poached in KNP at the end of 2016 compared to 2015 figures.

In 2015, however, close to eight hundred rhinos were poached. If there is some good news, it is that the figure is stabilising and even coming down. In 2015 one animal less was poached than in 2014 and to date the figures indicate that six fewer rhinos than last year have been poached in 2016.
“What we seem to be doing in the southern part of the park is having a real effect. In the north there are fewer rhinos and that is most probably why elephants are a target. A poacher is a poacher and these may even be the same ones. We have 12 000 elephants in the park. Some would say why worry, but we value every one of those animals,” said Funda.

What exactly are the 2015 elephant figures?

Less rhino available and more elephants poached