Hilux 4x4 Forum

'Open season' for poachers
2010-07-15 09:36

The last adult rhino at the Krugersdorp game reserve has been killed for her horns, leaving behind a young calf. (Amanda Roestoff, Beeld)

Amanda Roestoff and Elise Tempelhoff, Beeld
Johannesburg - The last remaining adult rhino in the Krugersdorp game reserve has been killed for her horns.

The rhino's eight-month-old calf, which is still suckling from her, ran around in a daze afterwards, looking for her.

Japie Mostert, game warden and manager of the reserve, found the rhino's body late on Tuesday afternoon at a watering hole near the caravan park.

"Now you can kill me too, then everything is dead," an emotional Mostert said.

Two of the reserve's rhinos were poached in January and another in June last year.

Investigators on the scene said the nine-year-old cow was hit by a tranquiliser dart in the neck.

They believe she was already been dead when the poachers cut off her horns.

While investigators searched the scene for leads, the calf came looking for her mother twice.

Ed Hern from the Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve, which has also lost rhinos to poaching this year, said on Wednesday that something drastic had to be done now.

He had heard that poachers had struck at several places in the country on Wednesday night and that a rhino had also been poached near Mafikeng.

Strike at different places at same time

"It is now open season. The poachers know we are looking for them. Now they strike at the same time at three different places. We are furious."

Hern said he had security guards who sat on the koppies of his farm day and night, watching his farm through reinforced binoculars.

His farm is next to the Lanseria airport.

Police spokesperson warrant officer Solomon Sibiya said no one had been arrested in connection with the latest incident.

"The police are following leads."
SANParks meanwhile said a Mozambican citizen had been arrested in the Kruger National Park on Monday night after he fired shots with a hunting rifle.

Game rangers searched the area but could find no carcass.

This came after four men were arrested at the Manyeleti dam on the western border of the game reserve on Saturday with fresh rhino horn in their possession.

Dr David Mabunda, SANParks's executive head said the conservation authority would "hunt down (rhino poachers and their) rich bosses in the bush, airports, cities and internationally".

Since the beginning of the year, 126 rhinos have been poached countrywide.


- Beeld

Ek is nie negatief nie, maar wat help al die input om die ouens te vang en dan kom hul weg daarmee by die hof?????????????????

Vat so ou en maak hom vir een maand met 'n ketting aan 'n boom vas sonder beskerming in 'n leeu park.

Ek het een van die comments gelike op News24. Die persoon het gesê hulle moet die poacher aan die renoster se karkas vasmaak

:evil: :evil: :evil:

Things like this, make me sick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Piesang, you've taken the words out my mouth, just in a lot more polite way.

Chain them and put 1 of the wild life web cams on him and let us all watch how nature has a turn to fight back.

Makes my blood boil.

More rhino has been poached than what is being reported. More white rhino was shot during the first 5 months of this year than for the whole of 2009.
Another method they use is to dart the rhino and removing the horn from a live animal.

Laat ek liewers stil bly!

I know it is difficult but something must be done!!! It just makes me sick thinking of it. If nothing is done very soon there will be none left.

Our wildlife is the reason why I have a 4x4, just to get close to it and to get out there. But watching 50/50 and hearing of this makes me so sick.

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 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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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....

As ons as joung seuns winter en somer deur reen, haal, storm, by vriespunt tot by kookpunt in 'n tent kamp sonder al daai goed ons land moes vededig wat die klomp nou opmors dan kan hulle ook so behandel word as hul gevang word.

Draak kamp naby Sutherland met tente en hul moet self in die lande werk om kos vir hul te prodiseer.

Manne

As julle mense in jul omgewing het wat nog Renosters het wat hulle wil beskerm stuur asb hul besonderhede vir my, sodat ons n plan in werking kan stel om die diere te beskerm en die poachers uit te sort.

Groete

Koeka

Pm my vir my besonderhede

Media Release: SANParks declares war on poachers
Kruger National Park – The Chief Executive of South African National Parks (SANParks), Dr David Mabunda, announced today that SANParks will be using R2 million from the Parks Development Fund (PDF) to increase the number of rangers in the KNP.

Speaking at an information session with members of the media in Skukuza, Dr Mabunda said: “The funds will be used to employ 57 more rangers and will also contribute to increasing the number of motorbikes for the rangers, purchasing a state of the art Crime Information Management System all of which will increase visibility on the ground and improve our anti-poaching efforts.”

SANParks announced that to date the KNP has lost 26 white rhino and one black rhino since the beginning of the year to poaching, while approximately 10.3kg worth of horns in storage in Addo Elephant National Park were stolen in a violent armed robbery in July this year.

Dr Mabunda welcomed the decision by the South African government to return the military to patrol the 450km national border on the eastern boundary of the KNP as the exit of the military 3 years ago had created even more pressure on the work of the rangers.

The Chief Executive was addressing media at a meeting that was originally planned for discussions with Animal Rights Africa (ARA) which the latter unfortunately did not attend.

Top management and scientists were present to respond to questions on rhino population management and recent poaching and anti-poaching activities in national parks.

Dr Mabunda re-iterated that SANParks is selling rhinos for population and meta-population management, but as these are state assets, they cannot be given for free to private individuals and it is good that such funds will be used to assist with anti-poaching measures.

“Poachers must beware, because we will seek them out, we will find them and they will be dealt with. This is a war that we plan on winning,” warned Dr. Mabunda.

Two more poachers arrested in the KNP
The Kruger National Park's (KNP's) Rangers and SANParks’ Environmental Crime Investigation Unit (ECI) arrested two suspected rhino poachers in the Pretoriuskop section of the Kruger National Park yesterday (13 December 2009). An R1 rifle and ammunition were recovered during the operation. During this anti-poaching operation a wounded adult female white rhino was found wandering in the area. The animal eventually died of gun shot wounds which she received shortly after being found.

Rangers were on their normal daily patrols during early Sunday morning when they heard a gunshot in the area. They immediately summoned help from the Environmental Crime Investigation unit who reacted immediately by helicopter. The area was cordoned off and search operation started immediately. During the operation four suspects were flushed out of hiding. Two of the suspects were immediately arrested and two managed to escape arrest because the area is quite lush and thick. The incident has been reported to the South African Police Service who are assisting with the follow-up investigation.

The KNP Managing Executive, Mr Abe Sibiya, in his reaction to the news said, “We are very saddened by this spate of rhino killing which is going on, not only in the Kruger but in the rest of the country. However we wish to commend our Rangers for the job well done in arresting the two suspects immediately and we hope that it is just a matter of time before they apprehend the remaining suspects.”

Rhino poaching has become a major problem in the country since last year. The KNP alone has lost 48 white rhino and 1 black rhino since January 2009. During the same period 27 suspects believed to be linked to the rhino poaching incidents have been arrested.. “We have strategies in place to fight this scourge which we believe are working for us and our Rangers are extremely determined to flush all the poachers out of this park without failure. This is a war that we must win; no matter how much it cost us,” Mr Sibiya added.

Whilst we in the KNP have lost the majority of the rhino in the country so far this year, there has been a rather dramatic increase in rhino poaching within the provinces around the country as well.

World renowned game park steps up the fight against poaching
With the appointment of 57 new Field Rangers, the world renowned Kruger National Park (KNP) has stepped up the crime fighting ability against the brutal poaching of animals.

This according to South African National Parks, Chief Executive, Dr David Mabunda, who said the new recruits, will be adopting a multi-disciplinary approach and will draw on the skills and expertise of various law enforcement agency involved in the fight against poaching of South Africa’s fauna and flora. “We as a conservation agency and the public at large are paying a high price with these senseless killings of our animals, while some leader of a syndicate is winning the minds and hearts of ordinary and poor members of society to be on the frontline of these evil operations.”

Dr Mabunda was speaking at the Pass-Out Parade of 57 new Field Rangers held in Skukuza this morning. He said we want to send a stern warning on these criminals that their days are numbered. “We are on their trail and closing up quickly on them.”

He said the country continues to lose some of its precious animals in the hands of poachers; animals such as rhinos are highly on demand on the poachers radar screen. “Since the beginning of the year the country in general has lost a total of 94 rhinos, In which 38 was lost in KNP, 7 in Gauteng, 9 in Limpopo, 5 in Mpumalanga, 10 in North West, 4 in Eastern Cape and 21 in KwaZulu-Natal.”

However, the loss of animal lives has not been in vain as to date 22 poachers have been arrested by SANParks rangers and are appearing before various courts in the country, said Dr Mabunda. “Our cross-border operations which include patrols with members of the South African Police Services, and our counterparts in Mozambique have yielded huge successes.

The parade was inspected by SANParks top rangers, Dr Mabunda and high ranking officials of the SAPS and SANDF border patrol units. According to Dr Mabunda a total of R5.2 million has been invested in the fight against poachers. “The funds allocated have been used to acquire amongst others motorbikes, bicycles, a bantam aircraft, to be used in patrols and high tech night vigil surveillance equipment…“we want to own the night as well, as these senseless fugitives tend to focus their operations at night.”

He said this is the fight we are planning to win; Mabunda also applauded the Environmental Affairs Minister and her provincial counterparts for their pro-active discussion around a possible establishment of a national unit or strategy that will deal with the scourge of environmental crimes including poaching in national, provincial as well as in private lands.

Dr Mabunda also welcomed the decision by the South African government to return the military to patrol the 450km national border on the eastern boundary of the KNP as the exit of the military three years ago had created even more pressure on the work of the rangers. “Discussions with the military are already at an advance stage and an announcement will be made soon on the reintroduction of their patrols in the borders of KNP.

In conclusion, Dr Mabunda wished all the new recruits well in their work and encouraged them to work with honor as they carry out their tasks in this fight. “We must let the poachers know that we will seek them out, we will find them and they will be dealt with accordingly. This is a war that we plan on winning,” he warned.

Another suspected poacher arrested in KNP
South African National Parks (SANParks) announced today that the Kruger National Park (KNP) Rangers arrested another Mozambican suspected poacher in the national park on Monday evening, 12 July 2010.

The suspect was found after the rangers heard a suspicious shot being fired in the park and traced the origin. The suspect had a hunting rifle in his possession. At the time of reporting no dead animal had been found in the vicinity.

The suspect is being held in a nearby police station while the charges are being formulated.

Sending a strong warning, Dr David Mabunda, Chief Executive Officer of SANParks said “poachers and their rich bosses sitting in air-conditioned luxury homes in the leafy suburbs of our metropolitan cities must know we are after them”. ‘We will hunt them in the bushes, in the cities, airports and internationally”.

SANParks and the South African conservation fraternity continues to request the support and cooperation of all members of society in identifying and reporting suspicious behaviour that could lead to the apprehension and conviction of these criminals.

This "war" is not going to be won with reterick and unfortunately all crime prevention agencies have to operate within the law. I think that more success will be achieved with scientific proof that negate the claims of the various reported properties of these animal products and then the subsequent education of the international market. Additionally the plight of the remaining rhino population should be included in such education. It's a case of supply and demand .... kill the demand and you win the battle legally. Of course stiffer penalties like exorbitant fines and/or lengthy jail terms could be imposed on any person convicted of involvement in this illegal trade. Any revenue generated from such fines could be used in the funding of such a campaign. M2CW ...

koeka wrote:Manne

As julle mense in jul omgewing het wat nog Renosters het wat hulle wil beskerm stuur asb hul besonderhede vir my, sodat ons n plan in werking kan stel om die diere te beskerm en die poachers uit te sort.

Groete

Koeka

Wat het jy in gedagte???

koeka wrote:Manne

As julle mense in jul omgewing het wat nog Renosters het wat hulle wil beskerm stuur asb hul besonderhede vir my, sodat ons n plan in werking kan stel om die diere te beskerm en die poachers uit te sort.

Groete

Koeka

Koeka wat het jy ingedagte

Kan 'n mens nie met die parke saam werk en dat hul vir 'n ou grates virblyf gee vir 'n week of twee en dan help 'n ou met die patroleering van die parkke.

This whole story sickens me. We live at the Kruger Park. And live in the bush. When we go home at night, we regularly see suspicious cars in the bush, and we confront them and call security. Know, the point I want to bring up, it is not just Rhino's that get poached in a direct manner.

By us we have the problem of people riding in our area to come and see the animals. They come drunk, irritate the Elephants and shoot them in there ears with 9 m guns and so on. Then when this elephant get's aggressive, the elephant get's shot. So what is the difference??? :problem: :problem:

Another problem is fauna and flora. When my jack russels decided to get out of yard and tackle a buck, Fauna and Flora were just to happy to take the meat. Everything is corrupt!!!!!!

You never know who is behind these poachers, and what they gain from it. And private people that ride around to look at animals in our area, where there are no form of game rangers, poaching occurs more than we think.

The point is we must protect all our animals. Because day after tomorrow we will be having this discussion over elephants or giraffes.

Is dit hoe sleg dinge geraak het in Kruger?

Ek het met 'n persoon gesels wat so 20 Witrenosters besit. Hy is van mening dat daar meer as 700 al geskiet is in die afgelope 4-5jaar.

Wat my nogal kwaad maak is dat mense wat wild aanhou op hulle "gewone" plase kry boetes of waarskuwings omdat hulle volgens F&F nie die korrekte permitte het om wild op hulle plase te he nie.

As ek op 'n manier kan betrokke raak en help om plekke te patroleer sal ek so maak.

It is not just in Kruger

"South African National Parks (SANParks) confirmed today (Wednesday, 28 July) that the total figure for rhinos poached in the country since January this year, is 152. This figure encompasses the latest number of rhino poached in provincial parks and private reserves as well.

The Kruger National Park (KNP) alone has lost 1 black rhino and 65 white rhinos to poachers since January. The Provincial Parks suffered a loss of 3 black rhinos and 42 white rhinos while private game owners lost 1 black rhino and 40 white rhinos.

SANParks confirmed that they also add rhino calves that are found dead as a result of their mothers being poached, to the total figure. The reasoning is that when a rhino cow is poached, and she has a calf with her, the chances of survival of the calf are reduced to near zero and if not found by authorities in time, it could die of starvation or become prey to the various predators in the wild. This is considered poaching at a secondary level and contributes to the decline of the species.

The estimated population of white rhinos for the country as a whole at 2009 was 19 409, while the black rhino population figures were at 1 678. While it is evident that the breeding populations, especially of white rhinos are stable, the alarming escalation of poaching has authorities on high alert.

“Perhaps it is no longer appropriate to refer to this spate of illegal killing of rhinos as poaching given the levels of sophistication, violence, precision and the money behind it. We are dealing with unprecedented high levels of organised crime which the Police and all security agencies are helping to defeat,” said Dr David Mabunda, Chief Executive of SANParks. “We have worked hard as a country, to bring this species back from the brink of extinction and we will continue to defend it even if we become the last man standing,” added Dr Mabunda.

Dr Mabunda reiterated his plea to the public to alert the authorities of any suspicious activity noticed in relation to rhino killings. To date 47 suspects comprising of foot-soldiers and high level dealers have been arrested throughout the country.

“Conservation bodies and private owners of rhino reserves alone will not stop this war. We are all responsible for the preservation of our natural heritage and everyone’s help is needed so please stand up and be counted in putting an end to this scourge,” was his plea."
"

Those figures are alarming to say the least .... and more than likely they are understated since there will be unreported incidents as well as a few that may go unnoticed.

:angry2: :angry2:

Saw this on the 4x4 com site:


http://www.4x4community.co.za/forum/sho ... post547080

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MEDIA RELEASE
THE ENDANGERED WILDLIFE TRUST LAUNCHES IT'S RHINO POACHING HOTLINE:
082 404 2128

The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), in recognising a dire need to urgently address the rapidly escalating problem of rhino poaching in South Africa, has developed a project to strengthen the security of rhino in South Africa. The Rhino Security Project is addressing rhino security concerns on privately owned game farms as well as in formally protected areas by improving communication between rhino owners and the relevant government officials, supporting investigations into rhino poaching incidences, working with relevant bodies to identify causes and drivers of the trade in rhino horn and enhancing current knowledge of, and information on the demographics of rhinos in situ in collaboration with other existing initiatives.

Through the EWT’s Rhino Security Project it has become evident that members of the public often become aware of information about poaching incidents or the sale of rhino horns which should be reported to the authorities for action. In response to this, the EWT has established a Rhino Poaching Hotline to which information can be submitted for appropriate action by the enforcement agencies or other bodies.

The EWT Rhino Hotline number is 082 404 2128 . We call on every person who becomes aware of any illegal, or suspicious activities concerning rhino poaching or the sale, movement and or trade in their horns, to please make use of this number in order to get the information to the relevant enforcement agencies. Other relevant information is knowledge of pilots or veterinarians involved in poaching through the use of aircraft and scheduled drugs and the unethical conduct of any professional hunters or outfitters to obtain rhino horn for the trade. All information will be channelled through the EWT’s Rhino Security Project’s lines of communication to the relevant authorities for investigation. Any person who wishes to stay anonymous may do so and details of callers will be protected.

With 153 rhino having been poached between January and the end of July this year, it is time that every South African citizen becomes involved in the fight against the wanton killing of our rhino. Amidst the illegal shooting of rhino by poachers on foot, there are those who also operate from the air with helicopters and dart guns. We believe that there are individuals out there who have valuable information that will greatly assist in these investigations and we urge them to make use of the Rhino Hotline to report this information.

We also request all landowners who have been approached by individuals offering to dehorn their rhino as a security measure, and at the same time buying these horns, to report this. It is an offense to capture and dehorn rhino if you are not in possession of a valid permit which authorises this activity. Such horns must then immediately be micro chipped and declared to the authorities in order to obtain possession permits for them. It is also illegal to buy, donate, sell or dispose of rhino horn in any way whatsoever if you are not in possession of a valid permit which authorises this.

It is a criminal offense to not report wildlife crime!

The EWT’s Rhino Security Project is kindly supported by the International Rhino Foundation, the SA Mint Company, San Francisco Zoo and various individual donors.

Ek sal nie omgee om self daai R44 waarmee die poachers rondvlieg te stamp met my .416 nie. Sommer 410gr Woodleigh solid gebruik, ek het so paar van hulle hier gelaai.

Traveler wrote:Ek sal nie omgee om self daai R44 waarmee die poachers rondvlieg te stamp met my .416 nie. Sommer 410gr Woodleigh solid gebruik, ek het so paar van hulle hier gelaai.

En ek sal agter jou staan en jou aan cheer

CasKru wrote:En ek sal agter jou staan en jou aan cheer

En ek sal jou aanhits

Nou die aand op 50/50 was daar weer 'n stuk hieroor.
Hulle "drug" die renoster en saag dan die horing af met 'n ketting saag terwyl sy nog lewe :sobbing: :angry2:
Hulle kon gelukkig die kalf red.
'n Ander plan wat hulle het is om gif in die horing te spuit so as jy die horing poeier gebruik dan vrek jy
Maar ek kan nou al weer sien dat dit teen een of ander mense regte wet is

george wrote:Nou die aand op 50/50 was daar weer 'n stuk hieroor.
Hulle "drug" die renoster en saag dan die horing af met 'n ketting saag terwyl sy nog lewe :sobbing: :angry2:
Hulle kon gelukkig die kalf red.
'n Ander plan wat hulle het is om gif in die horing te spuit so as jy die horing poeier gebruik dan vrek jy
Maar ek kan nou al weer sien dat dit teen een of ander mense regte wet is

Ek dink hulle moet dieselfde met die poacher doen maar sonder verdowing :evil: :evil:

I wouldn't be surprised if some people in our government are in on it, and therefore reluctant to pass " shoot on site" laws required.
Capture and torture of the poachers is required to find out who the next link is in the chain. Should it turn out to be an International culprit, trade with that country should be stopped untill the culprit is brought over for some african justice. my 2c worth.

Murray, I like your idea of shoot to kill on sight with regards to poachers. It is still policy in Kenya.

Traveler wrote:It is still policy in Kenya.

Neeeeeeeeeeeeee jy weet mos ons moet almal n kans gee om temaak wat hulle wil

Spartan wrote:

Traveler wrote:It is still policy in Kenya.

Neeeeeeeeeeeeee jy weet mos ons moet almal n kans gee om temaak wat hulle wil

hoekom??

*sug*

Heinrich ek dink jy het my nou gemis, ek is dik sarkasties, ek sal hulle verniet uitdun met my eie ammo en sal hulle self loop soek met die Spartan met my eie brandstof, gee my net n gap, julle is welkom om saam tegaan
Ons sal maar eendag almal bymekaar moet kom dan kan ons gesels want ek kan nie op die forum praat nie hulle sal my ban.

Spartan wrote:Heinrich ek dink jy het my nou gemis, ek is dik sarkasties, ek sal hulle verniet uitdun met my eie ammo en sal hulle self loop soek met die Spartan met my eie brandstof, gee my net n gap, julle is welkom om saam tegaan
Ons sal maar eendag almal bymekaar moet kom dan kan ons gesels want ek kan nie op die forum praat nie hulle sal my ban.

Ek was ook sarkasties. Dink aan jouself hoe 'n driejarige jou sal vra "hoekom", en dan so hard vir jou sug.

A Cape mountain zebra, an endangered species, has been shot by a poacher in the Darlington Dam area of the Addo Elephant National Park.

The zebra carcass, that of a young stallion, was found by rangers during a routine patrol on the morning of 11 August.

It appears as if the zebra was shot sometime during the previous night by a person standing on the outside of the Park boundary fence that runs parallel to the R400 road to Somerset East. The stallion was standing no more than 30 metres from the fence when it was shot in the eye. The zebra stumbled a few meters before dying.

Detectives of the Somerset East branch of the South African Police Service (SAPS) investigated the incident and found evidence of vehicle tracks and a man.s shoe print. It appears as if no attempt was made to load the carcass.

The young stallion was one of a group of 25 Cape mountain zebra which had been introduced to the northernmost section of the Addo Elephant National Park in May this year. This particular zebra group was translocated from the Mountain Zebra National Park to inject new genes into the existing small population of mountain zebra in the Darlington Dam area.

South African National Parks (SANParks) is particularly concerned about the incident as the Cape mountain zebra is an endangered species and so in need of special conservation interventions. The loss of a stallion affects the breeding dynamics of the zebra herd.

SANParks appeals to anyone who has any information on the incident to please contact Captain van der Merwe of the Somerset East SAPS on 042 2431100.

Now one wonders ... what was the intention of this. Were they looking for the hide? .... surely not the meat! .... were they didsturbed? Either way it's wanton and sad!

Could also have been a drunk bastard shooting the animal for "fun" :angry2: :angry2:

Hope they catch the (censored) and let him rot in jail!! :evil:


-F_D

Niel wrote:
It appears as if the zebra was shot sometime during the previous night by a person standing on the outside of the Park boundary fence

This actually relatively common, there was a well documented case a few years back at Christiana as well.

now for some horror pics, these were taken at Borakalalo over the weekend, the real cost of the rhino poaching.

11 skulls!




because of the price received for the horn, they want every last bit so even though the horn does not grow from the skull, they cut right down through into the ssinus/nasl cavity to remove the horn and that's why sometimes, when an animal is darted and the horn removed, it could be saved, but it dies from blood loss & not necessarily the drugs.

Rhino found dead in KZN park - News24
2010-08-19

Durban - A white rhino was found dead with both horns removed in the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife said on Thursday.

“The dead rhino, with both horns cleanly removed, was found by a group of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife field rangers who immediately reported this to the iMfolozi management by radio,” said Jeff Gaisford in a statement.

Gaisford said it was believed that the rhino was shot by poachers on Tuesday. The rhino was found on Wednesday.

The police and an Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife specialist were investigating the incident.

“During a post-mortem examination conducted by the Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife vet it was confirmed that the rhino had been shot once in the head,” said Gaisford.

Gaisford said the total number of rhino killed by poachers in KwaZulu-Natal so far this year was 14. Another white rhino was killed in Ophathe Game Reserve near uLundi on August 9.

“The organisation wishes to re-iterate that the loss of these animals, while totally unacceptable and cause for grave concern, is nevertheless still within the bounds of the annual natural increase of rhino in the province and at this stage poses no serious threat to the future of the species,” said Gaisford.

He said Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife was working closely with the police and Interpol in investigating the rhino poaching incidents that had taken place in the province.


- SAPA

Rhino calf found with dead mom
2010-08-20 09:44

Johannesburg - A rhino cow was on Wednesday night shot dead presumably with an R5 assault rifle near Roedtan in Limpopo. Her hamstrings and horns were chopped off with an axe.

Earlier in the day, a rhino bull was shot dead with an AK47 assault rifle in the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi nature reserve in KwaZulu-Natal and his horns were sawn off.

This brought the amount of rhino that had been killed by poachers since the beginning of last year to 300. This year, 178 rhinos have already been killed countrywide.

These numbers included the poached rhino and the calves that died after the mothers were killed.

Captain Herman Lubbe of the Modimolle (Nylstroom) police's cattle theft unit said the cow that had been poached in Roedtan, was 40 years old and her horn was 93cm long.

According to Riaan de Jager from the Limpopo department of environmental affairs, the rhino had been shot several times.

Professional hunter

The owner of the farm did not want to make his name known as he feared more poaching.

Faan Coetzee, head of the Rhino Security Project at the Endangered Wildlife Trust said the bull that was poached in KwaZulu-Natal was killed with one shot to the head.

It looked like it could be the work of a professional hunter. "The animal's horns were sawn off with precision. It means the horns were sawn off right at the nose," said Coetzee.

Rangers in the Kruger National Park also found the carcass of a badly decomposed rhino cow. Her calf of about two years old was apparently still with the carcass. The cow was presumably poached about two weeks ago.

André Snyman, the founder of eBlockwatch, said on Thursday he was on the verge of starting a database of rhino poaching on the website. Members of eBlockwatch in the Roedtan area helped nature conservation officials and police on Thursday with the tracking of poachers.

Soldiers deployed in Kruger Park

Coetzee said he had learnt that the national unit against poaching, which Water Affairs and Conservation Minister Buyelwa Sonjica was starting, would soon begin operations.

The defence force announced on Wednesday that 150 soldiers would be deployed from April 1 in the Kruger National Park to help fight rhino poaching.

Game farmers and auctioneers who attended the Soutpansberg game auction in Alldays on Friday believed that rhino poaching was the reason why not one of the 16 white rhino in the safety catalogue were sold. The two black rhino were also not auctioned off.

- Anyone with information about the Roedtan case could call Lubbe on 084 515 6925.

- Beeld

Hierdie storie raak net nie beter nie :evil: :evil: :evil:

Saw this http://www.4x4community.co.za/forum/sho ... post560119

Something has to be done. At this rate, we are not going to have any rhino's left in the wild, let alone private game farms.

Dit raak nou siek :angry2:
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1 ... 821C422646
A white rhino was found dead with both horns removed in Ndumo on Wednesday, Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife said.

"The rhino had been caught in a cable snare that seemed to have been deliberately set for big game, such as hippo, buffalo or rhino, all of which frequent the area.

"Both horns had been removed," Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife spokesman Jeff Gaisford said.

It was believed the rhino was trapped in the snare on Tuesday, but was only found on Wednesday morning by game rangers.

"This brings the total number of rhinos killed by poachers in KwaZulu-Natal this year to 15," Gaisford said.

The sex of the adult rhino was unknown and no arrests had been made.

Ndumo Game Reserve is on the Mozambique border in the north-western part of Maputaland in KwaZulu-Natal. - Sapa

Don't know how true this is, received it earlier today in an email:

**

Now the first poisoned rhino horn funeral!

THAILAND - Bangkok Star - 18th August

A woman mourns over the body of her deceased husband after he had purchased apparently purposely contaminated Rhino horn on the open market in Bangkok. The source of the contamination is still to be verified but it is thought to be from a private game farm somewhere in southern Africa.
Officials in Thailand are frantic to identify the source, as the powdered horn is sold in miniscule amounts and they have no idea how much has already been distributed throughout Bangkok. Local hospitals are on standby for an unprecedented influx of new cases.

Officials are unable get information as the rhino horn dealers in Bangkok are being uncooperative. They neither want to be fingered as being the provider of the poisoned horn, not do they want to reveal their illegal international sources. It is believed that private game farm owners in southern Africa are colluding between themselves to distribute an effective poison that is harmless to the animals but harmful, or even fatal as in this case, to those that ingest the contaminated horn.

A game farm owner from the North West Province who obviously wishes to remain anonymous, has admitted to using the poison on 4 of his animals. Three of them have shown no side-effects whatsoever 2 months after the poison was injected into the horns. However the 4th rhino was slaughtered and de-horned on a remote part of his farm in the last week of July. When asked to comment on the death in Thailand from suspect poisoned rhino horn, he refused to be drawn into the morals of the farmers joint action. He said that there would be many more cases in the near future as he was personally aware of at least another 5 slaughters of contaminated rhinos in the North West Province alone.

Authorities in South Africa are unable to comment on the "poison" collusion among the game farm owners nor are they able to verify the source of the contaminated horn.

**


-F_D

Dit is die oplossing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:veryhappy: :veryhappy: :veryhappy:

Family_Dog wrote:Don't know how true this is, received it earlier today in an email:

**

Now the first poisoned rhino horn funeral!

THAILAND - Bangkok Star - 18th August

A woman mourns over the body of her deceased husband after he had purchased apparently purposely contaminated Rhino horn on the open market in Bangkok. The source of the contamination is still to be verified but it is thought to be from a private game farm somewhere in southern Africa.
Officials in Thailand are frantic to identify the source, as the powdered horn is sold in miniscule amounts and they have no idea how much has already been distributed throughout Bangkok. Local hospitals are on standby for an unprecedented influx of new cases.

Officials are unable get information as the rhino horn dealers in Bangkok are being uncooperative. They neither want to be fingered as being the provider of the poisoned horn, not do they want to reveal their illegal international sources. It is believed that private game farm owners in southern Africa are colluding between themselves to distribute an effective poison that is harmless to the animals but harmful, or even fatal as in this case, to those that ingest the contaminated horn.

A game farm owner from the North West Province who obviously wishes to remain anonymous, has admitted to using the poison on 4 of his animals. Three of them have shown no side-effects whatsoever 2 months after the poison was injected into the horns. However the 4th rhino was slaughtered and de-horned on a remote part of his farm in the last week of July. When asked to comment on the death in Thailand from suspect poisoned rhino horn, he refused to be drawn into the morals of the farmers joint action. He said that there would be many more cases in the near future as he was personally aware of at least another 5 slaughters of contaminated rhinos in the North West Province alone.

Authorities in South Africa are unable to comment on the "poison" collusion among the game farm owners nor are they able to verify the source of the contaminated horn.

**


-F_D

Now this is some good news. If there is no demand... there will be no more slaughters...

Great news. Hope there is more of this poisened rhino horn around.

I don't know why this wasn't thought of and done long ago .... with Nature Conservation coming aboard and releasing press and electronic media messages that All South African rhino horns would be poisoned forthwith.

Mud Dog wrote:I don't know why this wasn't thought of and done long ago .... with Nature Conservation coming aboard and releasing press and electronic media messages that All South African rhino horns would be poisoned forthwith.

'n Oog vir 'n oog en 'n tand vir 'n tand

0000DS wrote:Something has to be done. At this rate, we are not going to have any rhino's left in the wild, let alone private game farms.

...mmmmmm, sien ek het 'n maaitjie. Tyd dat jy die Cruiser club join en my help om die rhino fred daar te maintain. Join hulle en laat my weet, dan stuur ek jou die link.

HJ

miskien moet iemand net vir die chinese n ander tipe "bul pil" maak sodat hul die "rino horn" kan uitlos! : :angry2:

Johannesburg - The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) on Wednesday urged the public to dust off their vuvuzelas and participate in "Make a noise for rhino" day on September 22.
It was part of a campaign to support the country's "rhino warriors", the men and women who risked their lives daily against gangs who ran the illegal rhino trade, said WWF spokesperson Joseph Okori.

This year, 188 rhino had been poached in South Africa.

The campaign to raise awareness about saving rhinos would start on September 22, which will also be the first day of rhino month.


- SAPA

5 rhinos killed in Pilanesberg

by Susan Cilliers, Beeld 20-09-2010

Johannesburg - Four rhino carcasses with sawn-off horns have been found in a Pilanesberg nature reserve in the North-West.

A fifth rhino was found still alive, but with its horns sawn off and with a gunshot wound in the back. It later died.

This comes just after several rhinos were marked to prevent poaching in Mafikeng in the North-West at the weekend.

The latest discovery brings the total number of rhinos poached in South Africa since January to 210, Louis Coetzee said on Sunday evening.

Coetzee is the manager of the Mafikeng game reserve, which belongs to the North-West's parks and tourism board.

$60 000 per kilogram

"That's already a significant increase from the 140 rhinos that were poached last year. Their horns are becoming increasingly sought-after, and can sell for up to $60 000 (about R429 000) per kilogram on the black market."

One rhino horn can weigh up to 8kg.

According to police spokesperson Adéle Myburgh, workers from the reserve in the Pilanesberg were counting rhinos when they spotted the carcasses at the weekend.

The animals had all been shot. According to Myburgh, the total value of the five rhinos was about R2.9m.

No suspects have been arrested, but police are investigating.

Coetzee said game poaching has been rearing its ugly head in the reserve since January.

"Two of our rhinos were tranquillised before the poachers cut off their horns, and four were killed. As a result, we've suffered a loss of about R1m.

He said the poachers, who often hail from Mozambique or Zimbabwe, mostly move around on foot and climb through or over fences.

In exceptional cases, poachers are dropped off by helicopter. They then tranquillise or kill the animals before cutting off their horns.

Once the poaching is done the helicopter picks them up again.

"The poachers even cover the helicopter's registration," said Coetzee.

Difficult to replace

Game poachers move mostly at night and use chainsaws or pangas to chop off the horns. They also don't hesitate to kill the calves who are with their mothers, said Coetzee.

Rhinos may be hunted within limits, if one has the relevant permit.

According to Coetzee, any kind of trade in rhino horn products is illegal.

It's difficult to replace a rhino. They live for 30 years on average, and a rhino cow can only give birth about once every three years.

"They only reach sexual maturity from age 7," said Coetzee.

An adult rhino bull can weigh up to 3 tons. Coetzee and other game rangers battled at the weekend to turn one such heavy bull onto its side (to be marked) once it was tranquillised.


- Beeld

If this article is true ....then these people are a disgraceto th e profession

Rhino poaching - vets arrested
2010-09-20 23:00
Marietie Louw-Carstens, Beeld
Johannesburg - Two well-known veterinarians from Modimolle in Limpopo were arrested on Monday, along with seven other people, over their alleged involvement in "hundreds of incidents" of rhino poaching.

National police spokesperson Vishnu Naidoo said the suspects are "the masterminds" of a syndicate believed to be involved in rhino poaching across the country.

"The arrests were a great breakthrough for us. More arrests may follow," Naidoo said.

Dr Karel Toet and his wife, Marisa, were arrested early on Monday morning. Dr Manie du Plessis, one of Toet's partners, was also arrested.

They own the Nylstroom animal clinic, as well as Limpopo Wildlife, which is involved with catching and transporting game on farms.

Naidoo said two businessmen - as well as the one businessman's wife - were also behind bars. The other suspects' occupations are unknown. They were arrested in Polokwane, Musina and Modimolle respectively.

"These people were supposedly involved with killing rhinos, selling the horns and disposing of the carcasses," said Naidoo.

Helicopters

This breakthrough comes after five rhinos were killed for their horns in a nature reserve in the North West at the weekend.

Altogether 210 rhinos have been killed for their horns since the start of the year, compared to 122 poached last year.

Naidoo said the police's specialist unit, the Hawks, conducted the investigation and made the arrests in co-operation with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), SANParks, the department of nature conservation and the national prosecuting authority (NPA).

Farmers in Limpopo's Lephalale and Vaalwater areas, as well as the North West, have recently complained about helicopters with obscured registrations flying over game farms.

The CAA was approached to take part in the investigation.

It was alleged that poachers were dropped on farms by helicopter and then picked up again once they had cut off the animals' horns.

Cold-blooded slaughter

Beeld has heard that the vets from Modimolle have been under investigation for the last few months.

The news of their arrest spread through town like a wildfire on Monday.

Monday's arrests came about a week after Tom Fourie, a well-known figure in wildlife circles in Musina, was arrested. He has already appeared in court and was released on R2 000 bail.

It is not clear whether Fourie is involved with the same syndicate.

Naidoo said the police have their eye on other syndicates that are involved in "the cold-blooded slaughter" of rhinos in nature reserves and game farms.

The investigating team is still searching various properties.

Naidoo said the nine suspects are being held in the police cells in Musina. They will appear in the magistrate's court on Wednesday, at which time the exact charges will be announced.

Faan Coetzee, head of the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), was overjoyed about the news on Monday.

"We've been waiting a long time for this," he said.

Their horns should be chopped off too....

Blixems :x

R1m bail for rhino poaching suspect

Musina - Eleven people accused of being members of a rhino poaching syndicate were released on bail in the Musina Magistrate's Court on Wednesday.

Game farmer Dawie Groenewald was released on R1m bail and his wife, Sariette, on R100 000 bail.

Veterinarian Karel Toet received R50 000 bail while his wife, Mariza Toet, received R20 000 and his colleague, veterinarian Manie du Plessis, was released on R20 000.

The other accused, professional hunter Tielman Roos Erasmus, Dewald Gouws, Nordus Rossouw, Leon van der Merwe and Jacobus Marthinus Pronk, were released on R20 000 bail each while Paul Matoromela received R5 000 bail.

Their bail conditions included that they would not be allowed to tamper with 32 rhinos currently on Groenewald's game farm, Pragtig, in Musina.

They had to hand in their passports and identity documents and had to give the police a week's notice if they wanted to leave the province.

The 11 accused nodded in agreement when the magistrate asked them if they understood the bail conditions.

The case was postponed to April 11.


- SAPA

Two rhino poachers nabbed in Kruger
2010-09-26 23:04

Buks Viljoen, Beeld

Johannesburg - Two more well-known members of the "underworld of rhino poaching" have been arrested in the Kruger National Park.

One of them was wounded in a shoot-out with police after they were cornered near Pretoriuskop in the south of the game park.

A visitor to the Kruger on Friday came across a wounded rhino and informed police, who then lay in wait for the poachers.

Two illegal firearms were also seized.

The men apparently are connected to at least 10 other incidents of rhino poaching in the Stolsnek area near Pretoriuskop over the past two months.

SANParks spokesperson Wanda Mkhutshulwa could not say if the two suspects are linked to the rhino poaching syndicate which was bust in Limpopo earlier this month.

The vice president of the SA Hunters and Game Conservation Association, Gerhard Verdoorn, said suspected poachers should not be freed on bail even if they were first time offenders.

He added that it was high time the authorities came down hard on poachers.