Police intercept cross border smuggling of wild animals
30 December, 2008

TSHABONG - The police are investigating a case in which two South Africans with the help of some Batswana tried to smuggle live wild animals, including elands and kudus into South Africa over the weekend.

Station Commander Mokolobetsi Marata said the police gave chase after locating the suspects who were using two vehicles, one belonging to Batswana and another to the South Africans.

Mr Marata said after the chase the police found the vehicle that was used by Batswana abandoned while the one used by the South Africans was no where to be found. The South Africans are said to have re-entered their own country illegally.

Mr Marata said in the abandoned vehicle was a kudu and an eland. The police said some other animals could have been thrown out of the vehicles during the chase and they should have gone back into the bush.

Mr Marata indicated that a Motswana suspect was being held by the police to help them in their investigations.

He pleaded with residents of Tshabong to stop collaborating with foreign nationals to deprive Botswana of its wildlife treasure through poaching.

District Wildlife Officer, Mrs Onalenna Kgathi said that these activities are saddening as Botswana is losing a lot of animals from the Kgalagadi area as a result of smuggling and poaching.

Mrs Kgathi said poaching in the Kgalagadi area is prevalent as it is compounded by the proximity of the area to the neighbouring countries of South Africa and Namibia.

She said in Tshabong and the surrounding areas, some Batswana collaborate with some South Africans while in the areas such as Zutshwa, some Batswana work hand in hand with the Namibians to rob the country of its wild species.

She said they were lucky in that the wildlife and the police personnel were this time able to intercept the poachers and give a timely chase.

There are other incidents in which the poachers complete their unlawful work without being detected and are able to reach their destinations with the loot.

BOPA