Locals gear up to fight rhino war

SOUTH Africa was not yet winning the war against rhino poaching but anti-poaching forces were gaining ground.

This was the good news Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife’s Umzimkhulu District conservation officer, Pieter Massyn, had for the many people who attended a meeting in Port Shepstone recently.

Ezemvelo chief executive Dr Bandile Mkhize was scheduled to address the meeting but an urgent matter forced him to cancel his visit at the last minute. Mr Massyn stepped in to discuss issues facing his organisation.

Talking about protecting the ‘basket of biodiversity’ he discussed conservation measures, often involving private land owners, to protect endangered creatures like the blue swallow, the oribi antelope and the ground hornbill. However, his informative and well-delivered presentation focused mainly on rhino poaching and what was being done to combat it. By the end of the evening, the audience was more knowledgeable – and optimistic – about the situation.

Providing background information on the scourge, he said rhino horn, made of the same substance as human hair, had no medical value at all. For this reason killing these ‘flagship’ animals was not only immoral and illegal but unjustifiable as well.

Unfortunately, the value of rhino horn made poaching and illegal trading highly lucrative. Pound for pound, raw horn had the same value as gold and once refined, its value shot up to that of cocaine. Sadly, those who had been implicated in the illicit rhino horn trade had often included professionals like veterinarians, doctors, lawyers, and pilots.

Many people at the meeting were interested in what Mr Massyn had to say about the argument surrounding the lifting of the Cites ban on trading in rhino horn, which would enable South Africa to sell its legitimately acquired stockpile. Describing Dr Mkhize as a visionary, he explained why his chief executive believed a well-policed and regulated system of selling rhino horn legally could alleviate the poaching problem.

The fight against poaching was indeed a war, Mr Massyn said. The poachers, who were also targeting elephants for their ivory, were often former members of liberation groups. They had a sophisticated knowledge of weaponry and bushcraft. Many came from Mozambique where poverty encouraged them to take to take the risks that poaching entailed, he explained.

Conservationists were not soldiers and did not have the military skills to take on the poachers. However, anti-poaching units, made up of people who had received rigorous training, had now been formed. They were proving effective in the field.

By developing a good relationship, through social responsibility programmes, with people living near game reserves, Ezemvelo was educating people about the value of wild animals within the parks. Ezemvelo’s investment in rural communities was starting to pay off handsomely, often in the form of valuable intelligence about poaching activities.

His audience was fascinated at Mr Massyn’s description of how modern technology was being harnessed to combat poaching. The new drone surveillance technology was proving most promising, he said.

Mr Massyn also spoke about the highly technical approach by teams of forensic experts at poaching scenes. Their crime scene expertise ensured that as much evidence as possible was garnered, before the docket was opened.

While professional conservationists were at the forefront of the war against poaching, it could only be won with a groundswell of public support. Mr Massyn spoke about how a complaint from a neighbour about a smell coming from a garage in Bloemfontein had enabled the police to uncover a perlemoen smuggling ring. He asked everyone to be vigilant, supportive of conservation initiatives and involved..

Concluding his talk, he quoted renowned rhino champion and conservationist Ian Player: ‘In 2013 let us not look back in anger but forward in fury’.

Mr Massyn believed this should be our attitude towards the indefensible crime of rhino poaching.