Open Season for Poachers

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Re: Open Season for Poachers

Post by MOFASA »

Maddoglips wrote:Wayne I agree 100%

BUT

Nothing realisticly can be done about poaching, until our country takes on tougher laws with more agressive crimes.

How do we prosecute some 1 who kills animals, if some who takes a human life can get Bail and when found guilty gets sentced to five years with TV, phone meals and access to studies ect....

Bring back the death penalty :thumbup: and chop off the hands of people who steal, it works in other countries that are worse off then us.

You poach and get caught, you get shot in the legs, chained to a tree and left to play with the wild animals.

Amazing how human rights have gone past the point of being good and are now actually retarding progression. If you commit a crime, you should forfeit your rights to be classed as a human. If it's your right to choose to commit murder of an animal or human, then it's your privilage to face the consequences.

Sorry, but this sort of thing gets right under my skin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just cant read further than this post on this thread.... Its way to upsetting....
All i can say is if i could afford to take time off work I'll stand guard for a day, week, month or year as long as i get to let loose on just one poacher, video the entire thing and show it to the world, once the world sees what we'll do to them if we catch them they will think twice about poaching anything from any of our game reaerves......

This type of thing makes me sooooooooo aggresive :aggresive: :aggresive:
please someont pick me and let me at those poaching excusses of human byproducts...... :beg: :beg: :beg:
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Re: Open Season for Poachers

Post by 0000DS »

227 rhino killed so far in 2012
2012-05-28 18:13

Bloemfontein - South Africa has lost 227 rhinos to illegal hunting activities since the beginning of the year, the department of environmental affairs said on Monday.

Environmental spokesperson Albi Modise said 148 people had been arrested in connection with illegal rhino horns.

The latest statistics indicate the Kruger National Park has lost 137 rhino, which accounts for more than half of the total rhino killings that have taken place this year.

Limpopo province has suffered 31 rhino killings and the North West and KwaZulu-Natal provinces each have lost 23 rhino.

The province nearest to these figures was Mpumalanga with six rhino illegally hunted.

Modise said of the 148 people arrested 131 were poachers, 10 were receivers or couriers of illegal rhino horn, six more were couriers or buyers and one person was an exporter.

The department urged all South Africans to report incidents of rhino poaching.

Any tip-offs that could lead to arrests and the prevention of illegal rhino killings could be left at 0800-205-005.
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Re: Open Season for Poachers

Post by Mud Dog »

KNP = 137 in 5 months! :o: That's almost one a day! :crazy: There simply has to be inside collaboration! :evil:
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Re: Open Season for Poachers

Post by 0000DS »

500+ rhinos could die this year - group
2012-08-21 11:44

Johannesburg - Global wildlife monitoring network Traffic warned on Tuesday that 515 rhinos could perish by the end of the year if no action is taken to stem the illicit trade in rhino horns.

In its latest report, the agency said that with a total of 281 animals killed as of July, there was a "predicted loss of 515 by year end if current poaching rates continue".

South Africa, home to about three quarters of Africa's 20 000 or so white rhinos and 4 800 critically endangered black rhinos, has in recent years witnessed an unprecedented spike in sophisticated, violent and organised rhino-related criminal activities.

Last year 448 rhinos were killed compared to 13 animals in 2007.

South Africa has lately scaled up its fight against illegal poaching and trade in rhinos horns, arresting 176 suspects so far this year, more than the 165 arrested in the 12 months of 2010.

"It seems this year that efforts are beginning to pay off. We have seen a great increase in arrests. We are also beginning to see some significant sentencing," said Jo Shaw, co-author of the report.

Vietnam, worst offender

But she warned that even with the successful stories of high-value arrests the criminal syndicates appeared generally to be a step ahead - better equipped, well funded.

"As anti-poaching security levels are stepped up, the poaching gangs become more aggressive and increasingly sophisticated," she said.

The report named Vietnam as the worst offender fuelling the trade in the black market for rhino horns.

"The bottom line is that we are not close to ending this crisis yet, we are probably going to get record numbers this year," warned the report's co-author Tom Milliken, who is also an expert on rhinos at Traffic.

The ground horn, which is believed by some to cure cancers, has taken on a new use and is now being pushed as a recreational drug mixed with drinks at elite "rhino wine associations" parties in the belief that it cures hangover.

The report says the only way to end illegal rhino hunting is to cut off the demand, by pushing Vietnam to boldly show commitment and decisively enforce laws that prohibit trade in the horns.

'Serious shortcomings'

It was revealed at the launch of the report that South Africa and Vietnam are set to sign a landmark deal to help stem rhino poaching and the illicit trade in rhino horns.

"I think the heat is clearly on Vietnam. I think we are going to see some changes. The good news today is that the MOU with South Africa is about to be signed," said Milliken.

The network did not give details of the memorandum of understanding, but it is believed to centre on law enforcement.

Vietnam's deputy foreign affairs minister Le Loung Minh was last week in South Africa where he held talks over illegal wildlife hunting, trade and trafficking with his counterpart Ebrahim Ebrahim.

There were some "serious shortcomings" and not so great co-ordination in South Africa's response to rhino crime, "but the will to do right is with us", said Mavuso Msimang, an expert on rhinos in South Africa's department of environmental affairs.

Rhino crimes are receiving heavier sentences and there is now a dedicated prosecutor to handle such crimes.

The report, titled The South African-Vietnam Rhino Trade Nexus, also pointed at a worrying development where game ranch operators and custodians of rhinos have been roped into the crime syndicates to become "rhino horn dealers of some description".
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Re: Open Season for Poachers

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http://www.sanparks.com/about/news/default.php?id=55267" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


As part of government’s ongoing initiatives in the fight against rhino poaching, a National Enforcement Blitz was conducted by the Green Scorpions. The Blitz, titled Operation Skhumba, was conducted jointly by officials from the national Department of Environmental Affairs as well as provincial Environment Departments.


It occurred during the week of 14 August and focused on the Tannery and Taxidermy industries in the Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West and Western Cape provinces. Approximately 28 facilities were inspected during the Operation.

The blitz was executed by the Green Scorpions amidst an increase in the number of rhinos poached in South Africa, with the figure since the beginning of this year now standing at 339 and a total of 192 individuals arrested in connection with rhino poaching.

The Kruger National Park has lost a total of 201 rhinos to illegal killings in 2012.

The Green Scorpions conducted inspections looking at compliance with the legal requirements related to waste, pollution and biodiversity issues. Under biodiversity issues, the two main aims were to check compliance with regard to the Threatened Or Protected Species Regulations (TOPS) as well as compliance with the amended Norms and Standards on the marking of rhinoceros and rhinoceros horn and for the hunting of rhinoceros for trophy hunting purposes under the National Environmental Biodiversity Act 10 of 2004, as published in Government Notice no. 304 on the 10th of April 2012. This is in line with the Department’s plan to ensure ongoing industry compliance in an effort to curb the number of environmental crimes, including rhino poaching.

The amended norms and standards are intended to strengthen the regulatory framework in terms of monitoring the legality of hunts and control over rhino horns. Stricter provisions relating to hunting were required to ensure that processes are standardized and to reduce possible abuse of the system. According to the amended norms and standards, rhino horns from trophy hunts are expected to be transported by a duly authorised person from the address where a hunt took place directly to a taxidermist for processing and exportation. The transportation of horns may only be authorised in terms of an individual permit granted by the issuing authority (it may not be authorised in terms of a standing permit or in combination with the hunting permit). The permit authorising the hunt and a copy of the professional hunting register must accompany all rhino products when being transported between destinations. Also, by law, when taxidermies receive rhino horns, these needs to be reported to the respective provincial conservation authorities. Taxidermies are in addition, required to keep a register detailing the date of receipt of the rhino horns, their weight, micro-chip numbers as well as the numbers of the hunting permit, transport permit and professional hunting register. This register must be made available to the issuing authority for inspection upon request. Ensuring that these amended norms and standards are being adhered to, was also one of the focuses of the Operation.

Alongside taxidermies, Operation Skhumba also focused on some of the country’s tanneries. During 2011, criminal investigations were initiated against tanneries in the Eastern Cape for non-compliance with environmental legislation. So, through Operation Skhumba, the Green Scorpions aimed to also inspect tanneries in other regions in order to ensure that such transgressions do not continue unabated.

While it was found during the Operation that some of the inspected facilities were adhering to the relevant environmental legislation, most were not in compliance. The most frequent transgressions uncovered related to poor waste management processes. A smaller number of the inspected facilities were also found not be in possession of the required licences, including air and waste licences. From a biodiversity perspective, the most frequent issues of non-compliance related to the absence of hunting registers and the absence of TOPS permits.

Investigations into the cases of non-compliance found by the Green Scorpions are currently underway. The findings on these will be released once all due processes are complete.

Members of the public are also urged to report any non-compliances that they are aware of to our Environmental crimes hotline on 0800 205 005.

Total number of rhinos killed this year:



SA

2010

2011

2012



KNP (SANParks)

146

252

201



MNP (SANParks)

0

6

3



GP

15

9

0



LIM

52

74

43



MP

17

31

16



NW

57

21

37



EC

4

11

3



FS

3

4

0



KZN

38

34

34



WC

0

6

2



NC

1

0

0



TOTAL

333

448

339



Number of arrests:



SA

2012

2011

2010



KNP (SANParks)

42

82

67



MNP (SANParks)

0

0

0



Gauteng (GP)

22

16

10



Limpopo (LIM)

34

34

36



Mpumalanga (MP)

56

73

16



North West (NW)

21

21

2



Eastern Cape (EC)

0

2

7



Free State (FS)

6

0

0



KZN

10

4

25



Western Cape (WC)

0

0

2



Northern Cape (NC)

1

0

0



TOTAL

192

232

165
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Re: Open Season for Poachers

Post by Niel »

http://www.sanparks.com/about/news/default.php?id=55299" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In a South African National Parks (SANParks) anti-rhino poaching operation four (4) rhino poaching suspects were arrested in the Kruger National Park (KNP) this week.



On Monday, 27 August 2012 at Shangoni Section in the Kruger National Park, SANParks Rangers and investigators came into contact with a group of suspected poachers. One (1) of the suspected poachers was fatally wounded. A firearm and a set of rhino horns were recovered.

On the same day in the Lower Sabie Section of the KNP three (3) suspected poachers were arrested and a firearm and an axe were recovered.

In a follow-up anti-poaching operation at the Crocodile Bridge Section in the KNP on Tuesday, 28 August 2012, rangers came into contact with another group of suspected poachers, where one (1) suspected poacher was wounded and two (2) fatally wounded. Another firearm and two axes were recovered.

The number of rhino poached as of Monday, 27 August 2012 stands at 222 and the number of arrests stand at 49 for the Kruger National Park.
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Re: Open Season for Poachers

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The South African National Parks (SANParks) today (Thursday, 25 July 2013) confirmed the arrest of four poachers in the iconic Kruger National Park (KNP) by the SANParks Special Forces and Rangers. The arrests took place in two different sections of the park amid latest statistics released yesterday of 321 rhinos having been poached in the park this year alone.

On Wednesday, 24 July, SANParks Rangers based in the Houtboschrand section of the KNP , made contact with a group of three poachers, a shootout ensued and one poacher was wounded and arrested at the scene, unfortunately the other two managed to escape back into Mozambique. A .458 hunting rifle, ammunition and poaching equipment were recovered.

On the same day in the Olifants Section, SANParks Rangers discovered an active poacher’s camp with empty food cans.

In the third incident early hours of today, a Special Operations team , supported by SANParks Rangers from Shangoni Section tracked down a group of suspected poachers and managed to arrest three who were in possession of two hunting rifles , an AK47 assault rifle with ammunition and an axe.

SANParks Special Operations Head, Major General Johan Jooste (RET) congratulated his members and reminded them that this is a battle we cannot afford to lose… “we are in the full moon period, there are huge numbers of incursions, spoor and many other poaching related activities that are keeping our members busy but we are confident that the gap is slowly closing in on the poachers.”

Jooste said that the cooperation with other anti-poaching units like the SAPS and the SANDF is improving daily and bearing the much needed results.

These latest arrests in the KNP bring the number of suspected poachers behind bars to a total of 67 since the beginning of the year.
Issued by: SANParks Corporate Communication, Tel: 012 426 5170
Media enquiries:
Ike Phaahla – Media Specialist, SANParks, Tel: (012) 426 5315 Cell: 083 673 6974 e-mail: isaac.phaahla@sanparks.org
Or
Reynold “Rey” Thakhuli – General Manager: Media & Stakeholder Relations, SANParks, Tel: (012) 426 5203, cell: 073 373 4999, e-mail: rey.thakhuli@sanparks.org
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