KNP rangers deals big blow over weekend

SKUKUZA – A blow was dealt to poaching over the weekend with rangers of the Kruger National Park (KNP) fatally wounding three suspects and arresting four.

According to Mr Ike Phaahla, spokesman for the KNP, these successes happened on Saturday and Sunday in three separate incidents. Four rifles were confiscated and four rhino horns recovered.

Rangers tracked a group of six suspects from early morning on Saturday to midday when they were finally apprehended in the Houtboschrand area of the park. In the ensuing firefight, three suspects were killed, one injured, and three arrests were made.

In a separate incident on Saturday, rangers made contact with another group of suspected poachers near Crocodile bridge. One suspect was fatally wounded and two escaped arrest. A set of rhino horns were recovered. Mr William Mabasa, communications manager at Skukuza, also reported that rangers in Mozambique had three contacts with three separate groups in Xongile on Saturday and managed to arrest three suspects, coming out of and going into the KNP.

On Sunday, rangers tracked and found another group near Tshokwane and one man was arrested. He was in possession of a rifle, a silencer, ammunition and a set of rhino horns. Two other men managed to escape.

Phaahla also confirmed that rangers in Mozambique arrested two suspects leaving the KNP in the Pumbe area on Sunday. The men were found with a rifle, ammunition and poaching equipment. A third suspect escaped.

The number of rhino that were killed over the weekend must still be established, Paahla said.

SANParks communicated last week that by August 21, a total of 167 alleged rhino poachers had been arrested this year. The total number of rhino poached in South Africa since January 2013 has increased to 587 with the KNP hardest hit, having lost 362 so far this year.

In light of this, the South African government stated that it remained committed to intensifying interventions to fight against rhino poaching through the enhancement of international relations. It has drawn up and negotiated a number of Memoranda of Understanding with a number of countries and is in negotiations with critical range states, such as Mozambique. A delegation from the Lao People’s Democratic Republic was recently hosted by a team of officials from the Department of Environmental Affairs to discuss possible areas of cooperation.

Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Me Edna Molewa, and the Minister of Tourism in Mozambique, Mr Carvalho Muaria agreed during a meeting in June to a follow-up technical meeting between South Africa and Mozambican officials who are in enforcement, environment and tourism. The meeting is to be held in preparation for a further more comprehensive ministerial engagement with Mozambique. The parties will also be discussing comprehensive measures regarding common areas of action to be taken jointly by the countries and possibly other parties involved in the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Park. These will be aimed at combating poaching and distracting the illicit trafficking of rhino horn, elephant tusks and other wildlife and related products. The meeting is expected culminate in an agreement between the two countries resulting in both states intensifying actions in all affected areas of enforcement in the area of wildlife protection and bio diversity conservation.