Poachers return to Chartwell
CHARTWELL - Poachers have returned to the Chartwell, Chartwell North and Farmall areas where wildlife is now at an all time low.
In November 2012 North Champagne Estates resident Nicky Dissel took a photo of a poacher wearing blue overalls and reflective bands with a pack of greyhounds near her home (Poachers prowl conservancy, week ending 17 November).
On 30 August this year Dissel saw the man and his dogs again.
She said, “There were three men carrying hunting sticks and catapults and 12 hunting dogs. One of the men was the same one I saw last year. I don’t know what they are hunting because there’s no wildlife left. We used to have hares, guinea fowl, tortoises, buck and even a caracal. I haven’t seen any wildlife for a long time.”
Mandy Collins of the Sun Valley residents association has managed to eradicate poaching in the Greater Kyalami Conservancy and has now turned her attention to the Chartwell area.
“I will be meeting with ADT again to try to stop the poaching in this area once and for all, ” she said. “These poachers do not hunt for food. They keep their hunting dogs in small cages and starve them. They then release them on the hunt and take bets on who will win.
“The owner of the winning dog wins the money. The poachers use a ball bearing at the end of a club to beat the animals that they catch to death and sell their body parts as muti. They hunt anything that moves.”
Collins stressed the importance of assistance from the community in addressing this problem.
“If you see a poacher or someone you suspect of poaching please call me immediately so that we can catch them. You can also take a photo and email it to me.”
Details: Mandy Collins: 072-572-1088
gogreen@greenpioneers.co.za
