Elephant Management and Poaching in South Africa

[Richprins]

I don't think these guys care, Flutts...just locusts coming down as predicted a long time ago. But who knows?

[nan]

not only Rhinos... now Ellie again

[Flutterby]

I know they don't care RP...just the thought of losing some of those magnificent animals is heartbreaking!!

[Richprins]

http://lowvelder.co.za/193853/elephant-poached-knp/

Struggling to copy and paste the "update" part...

[Flutterby]

Here we go RP.

Update: May 16, 15:20

SKUKUZA - It would intensify patrols in areas where there is a large concentration of elephants, SANParks said in reference to the announcement that an elephant carcass had been found with its tusks hacked off.
According to SANParks, the animal’s remains were discovered 14 kilometers from the border with Mozambique. Asked whether the modus operandi of an elephant poacher differs from that of rhino poachers, Mr Isaac Phaahla responded, “We don’t know as yet, but they do shoot the animals, hack off their tusks and quickly make their way out of the KNP, just like the rhino poachers, but we have just had this one incident.”
Its rhino protection strategy applied to all species in the KNP, said SANParks. There is no specific area that has been identified as a potential elephant poaching hotspot, Phaahla concluded, stating that it was difficult to say where these poachers would hit. The SANDF, deployed to patrol the border, were doing their best to secure this frontier according to SANParks.
News of the incident was not, however, news to an anonymous operator who has done extensive anti-poaching work in Mozambique. “We were told by poachers from villages in this region that they were planning to poach elephant across the border in the KNP,” the man told Lowvelder. The exact message had been that elephant would become the target as it became harder and harder to find rhino here. The source said, “They had explained to us exactly how they would remove the tusks in order to carry it the distance to their village.” It may be, he added that a different gang would move into the area who “specialised” in elephant poaching. The information had been passed on to the relevant authorities.

[nan]

[Richprins]

Thanks, Flutts!

There was a bizarre timeline of Kruger ellie numbers in today's Lowvelder...stating 2013 as between 8000 and 9000...

I think they meant 18 000+

[H. erectus]

stating 2013 as between 8000 and 9000...

Knocked me over to,...though,...


It was stated 18,000 elsewhere,...

No I am afraid Sanparks are seriously lacking here and the rest,...
the figures seemingly more factuall to understand,...

But one thing for sure!!!! "all out of control",....

[Richprins]

I'm a big pro-culler, regarding reducing ellie numbers, and some may say "at last!"

But it's not that simple.

Culling needs to be done in a very organised manner, re. removing entire herds and attendant bulls.

As Ellie poaching in Kruger increases, which there is no reason to doubt, the animals will will become even more aggressive towards humans, combined with the current overpopulation stresses.

Not a good scenario at all!

Ellies are highly intelligent, compared to rhino.

[H. erectus]

Something bothers me and has been sincerely so, for a long
time now!!!!!

18,000, now that's a lot still remaining!!!

In other words we should still see them on a regular basis,..

A group of say 5 per herd, would leave us with 3,600 groups still
roaming,..

Let's subtract one per each herd, singulars, = 360 sightable animals
per day, plus 4,410 sightable groups of rhino per sightable trip,...

Now my question,...""How lucky can one get sightseeing,...........
taking into account the slaughter just gone by!!!


These figures and stats leave a lot to be desired,....sadly so,..

Once again,...

Media Release: Renewed call to all involved in rhino projects to provide details to the Department of Environmental Affairs

The stamp of authority prevails, a kind of arrogance that will
determine the situation at ground level!!!

Yet they urge us to feed them info, Ay ya yaai,..
Who's leading whom by the nose???