Africa Wild

RHINO POACHING BREAK-THROUGH

MEDIA RELEASE EKZNW

11 September 2013

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife has claimed its single biggest anti-rhino poaching success to date when four suspects were jointly arrested inside the Bhekabantu District outside Tembe Elephant Park yesterday.
Jubilant Tembe Elephant Park Section Ranger Len Gunter said Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, SAPS and Nyathi Anti-Poaching had been working on a particular criminal syndicate for some time, following informed tip-offs. On Tuesday mid afternoon they invaded a home and confronted the four suspects.

On finding an unlicensed firearm (375 calibre bolt-action rifle), ammunition, silencer and an axe the suspects were arrested and taken to the nearby Manguzi police station. Gunter said one of the suspects was a Mozambican national while the three others were South African.

"They were caught completely unawares. We are thrilled with the level of intelligence we are now receiving and make no mistake this is a major success for us. If we can keep this up we are hopeful that we will start to seriously disrupt a number of these poaching gangs. We are now trying to link the rifle with an earlier poaching incident." Said Len Gunter.

The arrests coincided with the launch of the rhino infusion programme held in the park yesterday where MEC for the Dept. of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs Dr BM Hadebe hailed the efforts of Ezemvelo in their ongoing fight against these criminal syndicates that have so far seen the loss of 63 rhino in KZN alone, eleven of them in the combined Tembe and Ndumo game reserves.

"These rangers are constantly putting their lives on the line. I praise them and want everyone to understand the passion and sacrifice they are making to save our natural heritage," he said yesterday

On Monday, 09 September 2013, Ezemvelo reported that a suspect was arrested inside Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park. It was further reported that two accomplices managed to escape.

Ezemvelo can today announce that one of the two suspects who managed to escape on Monday has been arrested following some exceptional detective work by Ezemvelo Anti Poaching Unit investigators. A .375 gun suspected to have been used during the Monday encounter has also been recovered. Ezemvelo is currently following the leads regarding the third suspect and the arrest is imminent.



Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife has claimed its single biggest anti-rhino poaching success to date when four suspects were jointly arrested inside the Bhekabantu District outside Tembe Elephant Park yesterday.

Jubilant Tembe Elephant Park Section Ranger Len Gunter said Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, SAPS and Nyathi Anti-Poaching had been working on a particular criminal syndicate for some time, following informed tip-offs. On Tuesday mid afternoon they invaded a home and confronted the four suspects.

On finding an unlicensed firearm (375 calibre bolt-action rifle), ammunition, silencer and an axe the suspects were arrested and taken to the nearby Manguzi police station. Gunter said one of the suspects was a Mozambican national while the three others were South African.

"They were caught completely unawares. We are thrilled with the level of intelligence we are now receiving and make no mistake this is a major success for us. If we can keep this up we are hopeful that we will start to seriously disrupt a number of these poaching gangs. We are now trying to link the rifle with an earlier poaching incident." Said Len Gunter.

The arrests coincided with the launch of the rhino infusion programme held in the park yesterday where MEC for the Dept. of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs Dr BM Hadebe hailed the efforts of Ezemvelo in their ongoing fight against these criminal syndicates that have so far seen the loss of 63 rhino in KZN alone, eleven of them in the combined Tembe and Ndumo game reserves.

"These rangers are constantly putting their lives on the line. I praise them and want everyone to understand the passion and sacrifice they are making to save our natural heritage," he said yesterday

On Monday, 09 September 2013, Ezemvelo reported that a suspect was arrested inside Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park. It was further reported that two accomplices managed to escape.

Ezemvelo can today announce that one of the two suspects who managed to escape on Monday has been arrested following some exceptional detective work by Ezemvelo Anti Poaching Unit investigators. A .375 gun suspected to have been used during the Monday encounter has also been recovered. Ezemvelo is currently following the leads regarding the third suspect and the arrest is imminent.

We are thrilled with the level of intelligence we are now receiving and make no mistake this is a major success for us

Go KZN!

'High value' alleged rhino poacher held
2013-09-18 12:12

Johannesburg - Police have arrested an alleged rhino poacher in a village near the Kruger National Park, SA National Parks [SanParks] said on Wednesday.

The arrest of the "high value individual" followed extensive investigation by a special police unit. The man was detained on Tuesday in Cork Trust village, SanParks spokesperson Ike Phaahla said.

"The arrested individual... is suspected to be part of an active group of poachers operating in the Kruger National Park and surrounding reserves," Phaahla said in a statement.

Police recovered what was thought to be rhino body parts, a SanParks field ranger's uniform, hunting equipment, guns and ammunition.

In a separate incident, three alleged poachers were arrested after a shoot-out with rangers in the Malelane section of the park.

One of alleged poachers was shot and wounded. Police recovered weapons and various hunting equipment.

- SAPA


http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/ ... d-20130918

And the good news is ........ 5 poachers have been shot dead in the last week - BY OTHER POACHERS!!!!! It appears that they are now turning on one another - obviously fighting over money. Good - have fun guys - kill each other - saves our poor rangers from having to do it.

19 Sep 2013 10:22
South African National Parks (SANParks), South African Police Services (SAPS) Forensics and K9 units on Tuesday, 17 September 2013, carried out a joint anti-poaching operation in the Cork Trust - a village outside the Kruger National Park (KNP), which led to an arrest of a sought-after high-value individual.


Image: Chris Eason via Wikimedia Commons

The arrested individual, whose name cannot be made public until his appearance in court, is suspected to be part of an active group of poachers operating in the Kruger National Park and surrounding reserves.

During the arrest, a .308 rifle, 2 x 9mm pistols, a variety of ammunition, SANParks Field Rangers uniform, hunting equipment and suspected rhino parts were recovered. According to the chief operations officer of the KNP Rangers Corp, Ken Maggs, this is an ongoing operation and further investigations are underway.

In another incident on the same day, within the Malelane section of the KNP, field rangers made contact with a group of three armed suspected poachers. A shoot ensued between the suspected poachers and rangers; one suspect was wounded and arrested with the two accomplices. A .375 hunting rifle, ammunition and other hunting equipment were recovered.

Bill proposes life sentence for Kenyan poachers

POSTED TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2013 | BY- NATION CORRESPONDENT

Poachers will be jailed for life if a Bill to be tabled in Parliament in three weeks becomes law.

“Playing hide-and-seek with these merciless poachers will soon come to an end once the Bill becomes law,” Environment and Natural Resources Principal Secretary Richard Lesiyampe has said.

Dr Lesiyampe said the government would not allow a few selfish individuals to destroy a Sh120 billion a year industry.

Thirteen white rhinos have been killed at the park this year, according to the Kenya Wildlife Service.

LEAVE OR REPENT

Dr Lesiyampe, who speaking at Lake Nakuru National Park during the Cycle with the Rhino campaign, said 13 white rhinos had been killed at the park this year.

The latest killing of the rhinos happened last week at a KWS camp in Meru National Park.

“I’m warning poachers that they either leave this country or repent because we shall mobilise all available resources to crush them,” he said, adding that crack anti-poaching units had been deployed in areas targeted by poachers.

“We have trained combined forces from GSU, AP and KWS rangers and given them sophisticated equipment including aircraft to make sure we stop this menace once and for all,” the PS said.

Suspected Rhino poacher gets bail

Thursday 26 September 2013 18:06
SABC

The suspected rhino poacher, arrested in the Kruger National Park a week ago, has been released on R 4 000 bail. 31-year-old Patric Mona has been ordered to report to the nearest police station once a week.

Mona was arrested at a village adjacent to the park during a joint anti-poaching operation by SANParks and the SAPS's Forensics and K 9 units.

Mona was arrested in a village bordering the Kruger Park. Police and SANParks officials found an assortment of hunting equipment, a SANParks Field Rangers Uniform and what is believed to be rhino parts.

The suspect, appeared relaxed in the Hazyview Court on Thursday. His case was postponed to November 7.

The latest figures indicate that 688 rhinos have been killed in South Africa this year. More than half were killed in the Kruger Park.

This despite the many interventions to curb the poaching. The number of people arrested for rhino poaching related offenses has climbed to 194.

Almost 80% of the world's rhino population are found in South Africa. Negotiation to re-erect the border fence in the park are on-going.

Rhino poaching suspects caught after gunbattle in Pretoria

01 October 2013
FIVE heavily armed poaching suspects were arrested after a gun battle in the heart of greater Pretoria as they were about to launch an attack on 13 rhinos in Rietvlei Nature Reserve.

The gunmen, one of whom is out on bail for the poaching a rhino in Potchefstroom earlier this year, were armed with an assortment of rifles and handguns fitted with silencers.

Ballistic analysis has linked the weapons to the deaths of two rhinos in Dinokeng Nature Reserve, north of Pretoria, two months ago.

Police from the Pretoria Flying Squad and Pretoria Dog Unit, reacting to a tipoff from the Hawks, spotted the suspects as they stopped next to Rietvlei Nature Reserve on Sunday night.

They searched the men after receiving a description of their vehicles, a Toyota Hilux and a Corolla. Both are believed to be stolen.

Hawks spokesman Captain Paul Ramaloko said the suspects were part of a larger poaching syndicate.

He confirmed that one of the suspects, aged 22, was out on bail.

"The men, who were arrested after a shootout, have been charged for being in possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition," he said. – Graeme Hosken

This last one is especially scary, as it indicates a flounting of bail, willingness to operate in a major city, and obvious links to pure criminals wishing to cash in. Not the normal profile at all...

According to OSCAP all five of these suspected poachers were released on bail!!