Africa Wild

http://www.sanparks.org/about/news/default.php?id=56195


snip snoot!!!

Link doesn't work for me, H. ?

It does now. H.e. added some dots and comma after the link. Amended that.

Snot apie!!!

Aha! Not really new news, except that Dlamini is saying it...probably copying and pasting!

This is the text from http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196 ... .html#more

South African National Parks (SANParks) has announced that they are ready to start with the relocation and auction of a limited number of white rhinos from the Kruger National Park.


© andreanita – za.fotolia.com

"We are now ready to move, and to begin implementation of our entire rhino management strategy. Relocation is the core of our approach - not only to combat poaching, but to ensure the continued growth of the rhino population," SANParks chairman, Kuseni Dlamini, said.

"We aim to restimulate growth in large protected areas while creating new rhino strongholds. In this way, we will be able to offset the effects of poaching in the short to medium term, while expanding rhino range and improving the overall population size."

"The strategy is multi-faceted, and includes relocating some rhino from the Kruger National Park to create rhino strongholds in other parts of the country - ensuring that the broader population continues to grow," Dlamini explained.

More births, less deaths

"Increasing births and decreasing death rates, through the relocation exercise, will stimulate growth in large protected areas and maximise growth in rhino strongholds - allowing South Africa to offset poaching effects in the short to medium term while also expanding rhino range and growing the overall population size."

The relocation of 1,450 rhino from the park between 1997 and 2013 has contributed significantly to the growth of the South African rhino population.

SANParks is currently finalising provisions for the sale of rhino and will call for offers to purchase in a series of newspaper advertisements soon. Dlamini emphasised that SANParks will strictly regulate prospective purchasers, and require them to sign agreements to ensure relocated animals contribute to the conservation of the species and the growth of the rhino population as a whole.

A due diligence process will be followed with all sales, including background checks on prospective buyers, and anyone wanting to purchase more than 20 rhino has to comply with habitat and ecological suitability and security requirements. The due diligence process includes a risk assessment to ensure the safety of the animals, and buyers will be required to present a security plan that ensures the animals' safety as well as a conservation plan.

SANParks is currently finalising provisions for the sale of rhino and will call for offers to purchase in a series of newspaper advertisements soon

I may be dumb, but I do not understand how this is going to make the rhino population grow

SA Govt Not Treating Rhino Poaching As Priority – DA

By Jamie-Leigh Matroos
October 7, 2014

The South African government is failing to deter poachers and syndicates against the slaughter of our rhino, and it is failing the men and women, who risk their lives combating poaching incidents on a daily basis, said Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Terri Stander.

According to Stander, the National Security Head of the Shamwari group, Rodney Visser, said the Hawks were recently instructed that the responsibility for investigating rhino poaching incidents had been handed over to the South African Police (SAPS) stock theft unit who do not investigate priority crimes. This after rhino poaching was classified as a priority crime in March 2013.

The Department of Priority Crimes Unit within the Hawks has been responsible for investigating all rhino poaching incidents across the country in the last five years.

Stander also claimed the joint SAPS, SA National Defence Force (SANDF) and Special Operations Forces deployed in the Kruger National Park (KNP) in September might be withdrawn as funding was only secured to keep them there until 12 October 2014.

“During a recent oversight visit to the KNP, the DA learned that the Joint Forces had spent large sums of money to set up operations and had gained invaluable insight into poaching activities on the ground,” she said.

“Withdrawing these forces just as they are starting to defend our natural heritage would be grossly irresponsible.”

Stander also criticised national commissioner Riah Phiyega for failing to release the statistics of rhino poaching when the national crime statistics were released.

“If rhino poaching is a priority crime why are the statistics being hidden?” she said.

“The answer is that Government is failing to treat rhino poaching as a priority crime, and cannot defend its terrible record.”

I am still waiting to see Sanparks and Government doing ONE thing right against poaching