Illegal hunting in Richards Bay suburb

This after two middle-aged men tried to scurry off with a pack of about eight hunting dogs when they were confronted for allegedly hunting wild animals on Tuesday, Zululand Observer reported.

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife District Conservation manager Frans Mthembu confirmed he was notified about the incident and responded immediately.

“I chased after the two suspects and managed to catch them. Along with their hunting dogs, they were found with a striped mongoose,” he said.

“Their names and pictures were taken, and they were given a warning. Should they be caught again, they will face serious consequences,” he added.

According to Mthembu, this was not the first incident of its kind to occur in the area.

“These people are known for hunting monkeys and mongoose for their own consumption.We encourage the public to contact us, and we will handle the situation,” he added.

Aside from the hunting of wild animals, residents have also seen suspects raiding bee colonies for honey.

One of the residents, who wishes to remain anonymous for fear of victimisation, said: “We need to look after our green belts. Another worry is that vagrants are seen walking this path on a daily basis, which makes us feel unsafe in our homes.”

A greenbelt refers to an area designated to retain largely undeveloped, wild, or agricultural land surrounding or neighbouring urban areas.

– Caxton News Service