Day of the rhino celebrated amidst justice for poaching
The South African Police Service announced last week that 18 suspects were recently arrested and one fatally wounded while five others involved in rhino poaching were found guilty and sentenced.
Suspects have been arrested in Skhukuza, Hluhluwe, Barberton, KwaMsane, Nongoma and Gluckstadt. Two rhino horns, eight unlicensed firearms, ammunition, two silencers, a scope, an axe, a knife, two cellphones and two motor vehicles were recovered during the various operations.
Most of the suspects have since appeared in various courts on charges of unlawful possession of arms and ammunition, possession of dangerous weapon, trespassing, hunting a protected animal, kidnapping, assault, possession of rhino horns and/or possession of suspected stolen property.
More accused have also been found guilty and sentenced in the Skukuza Regional Court. Read more here https://www.citizen.co.za/lowvelder/405206/405206/ and here
As the world celebrated World Rhino Day on Friday, South African National Parks (SANParks) CEO Fundisile Mketeni has called on law enforcement agencies, communities, neighbouring countries and other stakeholders to join hands to stop the pillaging of these animals which are important in the ecosystem. “Our rangers are doing their best inside the park but we need to replicate their efforts outside our parks to disrupt criminal activities,” he said.
Mketeni said the poaching statistics for the Kruger National Park (KNP) currently stands at 243 rhino for this year. “Despite a slight decrease in the number poached nationally, we are still losing rhinos. The increasing number of successful arrests and steeper sentences meted out by the courts on suspects convicted of poaching activities recently, is however encouraging.”
He said the 90 suspected poachers were arrested in KNP this year with increased cooperation from the public. He hinted that those involved in wildlife crime live in ordinary neighbourhoods and should be identifiable through their lifestyles. “We need to expose these selfish people. We all need to defend our heritage with everything we have and stand together to stop the killing,” he urged.
