Military chopper to battle KNP poachers

THE Kruger National Park (KNP) will now have the upper hand against poachers after the donation of a Gazelle, an advanced military helicopter, by Ichikowitz Family Foundation, the owners of the Paramount Group, a leader in African aerospace and defence.

The helicopter, although modified to suit civilian environment, boasts advanced technology that enables the operators to spot poachers at night. It has a maximum speed of 310km/h with a range of 670km per tank and a service ceiling of 5 000 metres, which boosts its surveillance coverage. It is Russian made and currently a favourite in combat situations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Speaking at the handover event held at KNP’s shooting range near Letaba camp last Thursday, Ivor Ichikowitz, the chairperson of the Ichikowitz Family Foundation, said poachers were not just common criminals but highly trained ‘Special Forces’.

“These people own the night, and this is why most rhinos are poached at night,” he said, adding that one cannot own the night using civilian equipment. “No matter how many civilian helicopters or aircraft you have, you cannot own the night without advanced equipment.”

He said the park was in the midst of a terrible conflict, which “has turned into a high intensity war” and needed to be counteracted with special equipment.

“With the deployment of the Gazelle, SANParks now has the opportunity to take these poachers at night when they are most dangerous.

“The time has come for every corporation in South Africa to follow our lead and help to win this war,” he said.