Rhino Poaching: Arrests, Prosecutions & Sentencing

[Flutterby]

From FB this morning:

On Saturday, 24th August 2013, Houtboschrand rangers made contact with a group of six suspected rhino poachers after tracking them for most of the morning.

Three suspects were fatally wounded and three were arrested, one of which was wounded.

Two hunting rifles and ammunition were recovered.

This comes after a week of success in the rhino war were the Mozambique colleagues had made contact with three separate groups in Xongile and managed to arrest three suspects.

AND

On Sunday, 25th August 2013, rangers in the Tshokwane section of the Kruger National Park made contact with a group of suspected rhino poachers after tracking them.

During the incident, one suspect was arrested.

A hunting rifle, silencer, ammunition and a set of rhino horns were recovered. Two suspects managed to escape.

Our Mozambique colleagues also had another success when they made contact with a group of poachers outbound from Kruger National Park. Two suspects were arrested and one managed to escape.

Issued by:
South African National Parks

[Richprins]

Very good news indeed, especially regarding the Moz. participation! Long awaited!

[PennyinSA]

http://www.looklocal.co.za/looklocal/co ... er-weekend

All very good news except for the one line reference to Laos!!!!! Now that is extremely worrisome!

[Mel]

I reckon, these are the same poachers as in some posts above.

[PennyinSA]

South African National Parks

‪#‎PoachersUpdate‬ 27/08: In a combined intelligence driven operation outside ‪#‎KNP‬ between SANParks and ‪#‎SAPS‬, 2 suspects were arrested and charged with 'Conspiracy to Illegal Hunt Rhino' in the KNP with assistance from internal concessionaire staff. In another incident, during the early evening of 27/08 in Mahlangeni, rangers made contact with a group of 3 suspected rhino poachers. One of the poachers armed with a rifle was fatally wounded. A .458 hunting rifle, ammo and other equipment were recovered. The remaining two suspects managed to escape into the darkness

[Richprins]

Ja, Penny!

One of my parents told me they had to fire 3 workers at his concession lodge for reporting rhino locations over the years...it's a nightmare, but at least they pick it up!

It may seem callous to applaud the killing of poachers, but their actions are even more callous and premeditated and violent...my opinion.

And they most certainly know that death awaits them, so too bad!

[Flutterby]

Suspected rhino poacher shot dead


JOHANNESBURG – It emerged on Wednesday that another suspected rhino poacher has been shot dead in the Kruger National Park (KNP).

The suspect was killed on Tuesday night and another two managed to escape.

Rangers recovered a hunting rifle and ammunition at the scene.

On the same night, rangers and police apprehended two other suspected poachers and took them into police custody.

South African National Parks (SANparks) spokesman Reynold Thakhuli says the activity was unusually high, saying, “It has been quite a busy time for us.”

He says the two arrested suspects were trying to conspire with SANparks staff and were apprehended after “a combined intelligence-driven operation.”

They were picked up outside KNP, says Thakhuli, and investigations are now under way.

Since the start of this year alone, more than 500 rhino have been killed in South Africa by poachers with more than 360 of the deaths occurring in KNP.

On Saturday, three poachers were killed and another three arrested.
Rangers along with Mozambican authorities tracked the six along the border and killed three during a shootout.

KNP management said better cooperation between Mozambique and South African authorities led to those arrests.

At the same time, a two year census of the number of rhino in the Kruger Park is nearing completion thanks to rapid anti-poaching measures introduced to keep the animals and scientists safe.

Scientists started the survey last year but were unable to finish, partly due to a spike in poaching activities.

KNP has also called on citizens living in communities that may have been infiltrated by poachers to help protect the rhino.

Hundreds of arrests have already been made in the reserve since the beginning of the year.

It’s understood most of the suspects are still crossing over through the Mozambican border.

(Edited by Craig Wynn)

[Sprocky]

What a load of crap!!! Chuck them in the slammer and throw away the key!!!

[Mel]

Aha, looking for herbs / cattle and finding rhino horn instead
Also, I can't understand how suspected poachers can even find lawyers who defend them.

[Sprocky]

Also, I can't understand how suspected poachers can even find lawyers who defend them.

Rhino horn generate good $$$, easy to find a wanna be lawyer ready to make a quick buck!