Rhino Poaching 2015

[Richprins]

Boom gates won't fix it, but an admission of the problem!

[Toko]

Rhino will not go extinct – SANParks

23.6.2015 03.55 pm - The Citizen

More than a third of the world’s rhino poaching cases occur in Mpumalanga. Although we are at risk of losing countless individuals within the species from poaching, rhino as a species will not go extinct.
This is according to retired General Major Johan Jooste, commanding officer of special projects at SANParks, when he addressed the South African Rotary Club at their biggest function of the year at Ingwenyama Conference & Sports Resort, Lowvelder reported.
More than 400 delegates of the South African Rotary Club gathered there over the past week for the grand event, which commenced on Tuesday and concluded on Saturday.
Jooste, responsible for matters relating to anti-poaching strategy, planning and execution, was one of many speakers who addressed the party on important issues in our country.
During his speech, aptly named “The So-Called Rhino War”, Jooste highlighted the “successful” operations in which Mozambican rangers were involved, as well as the importance of community cooperation in the war against poaching.
Because of the sensitivity of reporting on poaching, numbers cannot be revealed in the media, but it has been reported that South Africa’s cooperation with Mozambique has been successful and beneficial in the war against poaching.
“Our cooperation with our neighbours has become vital. The sad reality is that the Kruger National Park (KNP) has become a supermarket for poachers,” Jooste told the attendees. “The south of the KNP is the hottest target. The borders have basically become fault lines across which the rhino horn travel.”
According to him, rhino horn is the most expensive commodity in the world and the fourth largest criminal activity on the globe. He further pointed out the prevalence of poaching has increased tenfold over the past 10 years.
“There are no quick solutions because the increase in poaching activity is ascribed to one major driver – lifestyle. Consuming rhino horn has become a matter of status and lifestyle, rather than medicinal.
“One long-term solution is for the community to own all the national parks, but that would be too late for the rhino.
“Another is more technological, and that is social media. I believe spreading knowledge and encouraging global cooperation can and will help our cause if we do it right, if we mobilise our resources and expose poachers; it can be done with the help of everyone,” Jooste said.
– Caxton News Service

[Alf]

Yes the word spreads when people are bragging with the money they make with poaching and before you know the whole village will be involved

[Richprins]

True, Alf!

There is some or other meeting shortly, so hopefully new rhino stats...

[Lisbeth]

if they had started the battle earlier, with modern means and the right people they would not be loosing the war

[Richprins]

Poaching, often referred to as wildlife "crime", directly affects long-term sustainability and development opportunities, including employment opportunities for local communities in accommodation, restaurants and guiding in the conservation areas. “Communities also function as suppliers of goods and services, primarily food and beverages, and sometimes receive indirect tourism benefits through redistribution of revenues from protected area entrance fees and funds allocated to community development projects,” noted the report. Poachers' guns could effectively kill these benefits.

While the majority of protected area authorities were involved in anti-poaching measures, researchers found that tourism authorities were only involved to a minor extent and most did not distribute information on poaching to tourists. They suggested mobilising the tourism sector in anti-poaching campaigns and raising awareness, and to help finance anti-poaching initiatives.

The report found that wildlife crime, involving transnational networks of well-resourced and organised groups, was a clear threat to the long-term sustainability of tourism and potentially jeopardised the development opportunities linked to the sector. It threatens to undermine Africa’s conservation achievements to the point that some of the most iconic species are set to become extinct within only a few decades – most prominently, elephant and rhino, but also other big mammals such as lion and gorilla.

Apart from the detrimental environmental, economic and social consequences cited are the negative effects on poverty alleviation. “Poaching deprives communities of their natural capital and cultural heritage and undermines sustainable economic development and poverty alleviation.

“Wildlife crime is also a security challenge that threatens national security, undermines government authority, breeds corruption and restricts the potential for sustainable investment, constraining a country’s social and economic development.

“Wildlife crime is threatening the very existence of iconic species that are essential to Africa’s image as home to the world’s top wildlife destinations and thus jeopardises the basis of one of Africa’s most important tourism products,” concludes the report.

For the full report, see http://conservationaction.co.za/wp-cont ... epaper.pdf

http://www.news24.com/Green/News/Poache ... s-20150625

[Richprins]

That is what the locusts don't understand, or don't want to understand!

They bemoan the fact that they are jobless, yet jeopardise the very jobs potentially available in the search of short-term wealth.

A live rhino creates many jobs along the supply chain...FREE OF CHARGE, as far as tourism is concerned.

[Flutterby]

OSCAP outraged after park invites tourists to look at injured rhino.

The Outraged South African Citizens Against Poaching (OSCAP), a non-governmental organization (NGO ) , is furious with the management of the Kruger National Park because a field guide invited tourists to watch a badly injured rhino in the field while it was being treated.
The rhino, presumably a victim of a botched poaching, was later euthanised because he was seriously injured. He was found with both his horns intact.
Allison Thomson, director of OSCAP, which has more than 17,000 members, said Thursday that they are "indignant and angry" with the park's management and they do not condone this incident. Thomson said the actions of the park staff were "unprofessional and unethical."
"Medical staff neverinvite bystanders to look at people who are seriously injured after a car accident. What has happened to the park's ethical code?" she asked.
In a video, presumably taken by one of the tourists and placed on YouTube, a field guide invited a group of people, including children, to come and see the wounded rhino under a tree. In the background children could be heard talking. The rhino bull's heavy breathing was clearly audible. Veterinarians bent over him and tried to determine how badly he was wounded.
At one stage the animal tried to get up to storm the people, but collapsed again when the vets held onto him.
One of the veterinarians told the bystanders that the animal's life could not be saved because he was too seriously injured and had already acquired an infection because of the wounds. They suggested he be put down.
Responding to a question about how long the animal has been lying there, one of the park's employees stated that the bull may have been shot a week ago.
It is suspected that he was shot in a different location, the poachers fled, and the rhino stumbled to this location and collapsed from his injuries.
Thomson stated the fact that the rhino tried to get up, is clear proof that the animal had experienced severe stress due to the crowd around him who were standing close by. Thomson maintains that this was a crime scene and that the park officials behaved in an unprofessional manner.
William Mabasa, the park's spokesman, said the management of the park supported the actions of the field guide and veterinarians.
He was informed by the tourist park officials about the heavily wounded rhino. The animal was found about 30 meters from the road. Mabasa denied that it was a crime scene. He said the rhino was also not shot in front of the tourists either, they were asked to leave the scene. The park officials then removed the rhino horns.

[Scipio]

Here I must say that I agree with William Mabasa, It(the video) will create awareness, and why would OSCAP want to hide away the awefull truth from the public. I say, put video of every dead and dying rhino on the social media networks. Shoe the world the cruelty of these animals that poach.

[harrys]

Here I must say that I agree with William Mabasa, It(the video) will create awareness, and why would OSCAP want to hide away the awefull truth from the public. I say, put video of every dead and dying rhino on the social media networks. Shoe the world the cruelty of these animals that poach.

I agree 100% with you Scipio let people see what these animals have to go thru