AW Ideas on Solving the Rhino Poaching Problem

[Twigga]

Alot of brilliant ideas - Couldn't agree with you more

Don't stop to educate the Demander - but we must not forget about the Supplier

Does anyone know if there are currently any programs running in the informal settlements on rhino poaching?

[Richprins]

Does anyone know if there are currently any programs running in the informal settlements on rhino poaching?

SP did a bit regarding Sangomas, and KZN too! Don't know about anything on a large scale.

[Amoli]

Maybe this has been done before and didn't work - yet I think that a ransom amount for information on poachers should outweigh the amount paid for Rhino. In this way the community will have the bucks that is supposidly driving them to assist

... and then I like the KZN Parks idea - to make the Nature Parks a no-fly zone for any private aircraft.

[Bushcraft]

I think that a ransom amount for information on poachers should outweigh the amount paid for Rhino. In this way the community will have the bucks that is supposidly driving them to assist

Classic

[JoeKing]

I think that a ransom amount for information on poachers should outweigh the amount paid for Rhino. In this way the community will have the bucks that is supposidly driving them to assist

Classic

Must the communities know that these syndicates are very powerful, they wouldnt give up info like that, because they would fear for their lives.....IMHO

[Richprins]

Been thinking about this one too:

Ask Dept. of Justice to establish "Rhino Speed Courts" as there were speed courts during the 2010 soccer world Cup to address any problems regarding foreign visitors during that period...it literally took only hours.

Discussion for members here:

viewtopic.php?f=170&t=2447

[Toko]

It should be possible to establish better controls around the airport. Apparently the stuff there or the airline crews are involved in the illegal trade.

This is from an interview with TOM MILLIKEN, TRAFFIC's elephant and rhino programme leader (published in a German newspaper in January 2013 - Link)

ZEIT ONLINE: Wie gehen die Banden vor?

Milliken: Nehmen Sie Johannesburg in Südafrika. Die Stadt verfügt über einen internationalen Flughafen. Ein asiatischer Schmugglerring kooperiert dort mit der Crew einer Thai-Airways-International-Maschine. Die fliegt ganz regulär an einem Donnerstagmorgen zurück nach Bangkok. Also lautet der Auftrag: 'Zwei Nashörner bis Donnerstagmorgen'. Mittwochnacht brechen Wilderer auf in den Krüger-Nationalpark, verteilen sich, suchen nach einem geeigneten Tier. Per Handy stehen sie in Kontakt. Vielleicht eine Stunde später tönt es dann durchs Telefon. 'Wir haben eins.' Fünfzehn Minuten später. 'Getötet! Zwei Hörner dabei! Lasst uns verschwinden. In 45 Minuten sind wir an der Straße.' Dann rennen sie mit ihrer Beute los. Am verabredeten Treffpunkt warten bereits drei Geländewagen. Ein Auto nimmt die Waffe mit der das Tier getötet wurde, ein zweites die Wilderer, im dritten verstaut ein Kurier die Beute. Dann rasen alle davon.

ZEIT ONLINE: Und wie kommt die Ware so schnell ins Flugzeug?

Milliken: Der Kurier fährt auf direktem Wege nach Johannesburg, übergibt die Hörner an einen Mittelsmann, der sie dem Syndikat liefert. Ein Bote bringt die Ware zum Flughafen. Korruptes Bodenpersonal schleust dort vermutlich das Horn unbemerkt ins Flughafengebäude und vorbei an den Kontrollpunkten. Drei Stunden später ist die Thai-Airways-Maschine startklar. Direkt an der Gangway übernimmt ein Stewart das Paket und versteckt es an Bord in einem Kleiderschrank der Crew. Das Flugzeug startet durch und landet zwölf Stunden später in Bangkok.

Johannes has an international airport. An Asian smuggling ring cooperates there with the crew of a Thai Airways International airplane. As usual, the plane will go back to Bangkok on a Thursday morning. So the order is: 'Two rhinos until Thursday morning.' Wednesday night poachers enter the Kruger National Park, split up and take off in different directions, looking for a suitable animal. They all have cell phone to communicate with each other. About an hour later, the message over the phone. 'We have got one.' Fifteen minutes later. 'Killed! With two horns! Let's get out. In 45 minutes we are on the road.' Then they run off with the horns. At the arranged meeting place three SUVs already waiting. One car takes the gun the animal was killed with, another vehicle picks up the poachers, in the third car the horns are stowed by a courier. Then all of them rush off.

The courier goes directly to Johannesburg, handing over the horns to a middle man who delivers the syndicate. Another courier delivers the commodity to the airport. Corrupt ground stuff there will probably sneak the horn through the airport security checkpoints into the building. Three hours later, the Thai Airways plane is ready to take off. At the gangway a flight attendant takes the package and will hide it in the cabin crew's wardrobe. The plane takes off and lands in Bangkok twelve hours later.

[Sprocky]

As long as there are humans involved in security that want an extra few Rand, nothing will stop them from being involved.

They should start doing random searches on aircraft leaving all international airports. Another thing that should be checked are the diplomatic bags that are used on flights, there is a lot of contraban that leaves the country in the bags.

[Toko]

They could go onto the planes with sniffer dogs

[Flutterby]

Yep, good idea Toko.

My brother flies cargo for BA. He gets the manifest showing what they are "supposedly" carrying but according to him there could be anything in that hold!