Rhino Poaching 2013

[mouseinthehouse]

OSCAP reports that the Moz. border fence in KNP is being fixed and re-erected and that only about 15kms remains unfenced at the moment. Has seen photos and been confirmed from someone in the DEA. It is not the answer but it is a positive development.

[Penga Ndlovu]

Official update!

Not good!

The official updates are far and intbetween now which makes me believe that these are only numbers to keep us satisfied.
I know this for a fact as the DEA is well behind with their updates.
We are way closer to 1000 than the current numbers suggest.

[Richprins]

OSCAP reports that the Moz. border fence in KNP is being fixed and re-erected and that only about 15kms remains unfenced at the moment.

Good news! But I think it's only the Southern stretch a bit up from Komatipoort...lots more clarity required...should have been in the news?

[mouseinthehouse]

Hopefully Allison will be able to clarify shortly regarding which stretch of fence it is - the photos I saw don't mean much to me as all the hilly bits from south to north look the same me! I think it has been purposely done on the quiet for reasons one can only speculate on.

I am really surprised by the lack of reaction from members. Perplexed even. So many people have been calling for the re-erection of the fence as another tool to help in the fight. I thought the news would be well met - surely it is a good indication of further action being taken (at long last).

[Penga Ndlovu]

Why do you all think that the fence will work?
It did not work before 1994 when the army was out there in force and it will not work now.
It will just make it a bit more difficult to pass the borders.

[Sprocky]

It might not work, as in be the answer, but it is better than nothing.

Another thing that bugs me...there has been almost nothing in the press regarding the political instability in Moz, including violent attacks on civilians and tourists, so how much of the Rhino poaching and illegal border crossings are being kept out of the media. It is time for SA to cut ties with Moz and almost regard them as an enemy.

[mouseinthehouse]

I don't think it is a matter of everyone thinking it will be some magic wand. I do think a lot of people regard it as being another impediment in the way of poachers. Anything that makes life more difficult for poachers is a good thing. Anything that saves animals wandering over to the Moz. side and being poached very quickly is a good thing also.

[Penga Ndlovu]

That is the only good thing about it MITH.

[okie]

Why do you all think that the fence will work?
It did not work before 1994 when the army was out there in force and it will not work now.
It will just make it a bit more difficult to pass the borders.

I agree with you PN . The only thing that fence does is to stop animals from migrating across the border . In fact it could even make it more difficult when chasing a poacher in hot pursuit , because it indicates the exact point from where the poacher becomes " untouchable " . .

[mouseinthehouse]

I disagree. If the good guys are pursuing poachers who are fleeing back towards the border as seems to be the case in a most incidents, then with a fence up the bad guys have to find their way back to the hole they have presumably cut in the fence. Not simple for the perps in the daylight and certainly very difficult in the dark. You chase them back to a fence and surely you have a better chance of apprehending them than if there was no fence there at all?