Rhino killed in North West reserve

Mafikeng - A female rhino was killed for her horn in the Mafikeng Game Reserve in the North West, leaving a six-month-old calf behind, reserve management said on Wednesday.

Park Manager Louis Coetzee said one of his field rangers reported at 13:00 on Tuesday that a rhino had been killed and both horns removed.

The police were called and empty firearm cartridges were found at the scene.

"The rhino was a female between the ages of seven and eight-years-old. Unfortunately she had a calf which we haven't found yet," Coetzee said.

The calf was still very small and they were searching for it in the park.

Another rhino wounded

On Wednesday, the park found another female rhino wounded, also shot, but she would be "all right", Coetzee said.

She was presumably shot at the same time as the other rhino.

"It happened on Monday afternoon after 17:00. The guys were still patrolling just after 15:00 on Monday."

A fence had been cut and it was thought this had been done at last light between 17:00 and 19:00.

This was the first rhino to be shot with a rifle on the reserve, but others had been darted.

"This is the fifth rhino poached this year. We had another two that were also darted and de-horned, but were still alive.

"We will have to do more patrols and be more alert, but it is difficult to cover all the animals in 24 hours," Coetzee said.

- SAPA

Another Rhino poached in North West

Johannesburg - A rhino was poached and dehorned in the Shingalana Lion and Rhino Game Reserve in the North West, SABC News reported on Friday.

This was the fourth attack on a rhino at the game reserve this year. The game reserve's owner Kobus Jacobs said it was a huge loss to his business.

"It's a sad day because we want to keep on farming with these animals, we love them and you can see it's beautiful animals, but my wife, my family there lives are getting in danger...This must stop," he said.

At least 210 rhinos have been killed for their horns since the beginning of this year - up from a total of 122 poached last year.

Black-market demand for rhino horn has risen sharply as economic growth has spread through east and south-east Asia, where the horn is believed to have medicinal properties.

- SAPA

3 rhinos killed, calf survives in KZN

Johannesburg - Four white rhino were poached for their horns in KwaZulu-Natal at the weekend, as one of them, a mother, left behind a calf, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife said on Monday.

"A female white rhino was shot during the early hours of Friday in the Emakhosini-Ophathe Heritage Park... the rhino had a calf which survived and is being nursed at the Centenary Game Capture Centre in the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park," said spokesperson Maureen Zimu.

"The carcasses of another three white rhino males were found on (Friday) in the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park."

A post-mortem revealed the animals had been shot a few days earlier.

Meanwhile, it is believed that the Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife anti-poaching unit intercepted a group of suspected poachers in the Western Shores of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park on Sunday.

"(The) unit was on a routine patrol (at 16:00) when they heard a gunshot.

"Upon investigating they came across three armed men pursuing a white rhino. (The men) disappeared into thick bush."

She said the field rangers could find no injured rhinos in the area.

"The unit, working with the Police Dog Unit from Empangeni, combed the whole area without finding a rhino carcass."

She said the search would continue until the unit was satisfied that no animal had been hurt.

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife CEO, Dr Bandile Mkhize, has reiterated that the war against rhino poaching will be intensified in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, with a further 18 field rangers being added to the park's staff and additional specialised equipment being provided.

- SAPA

Cops make new rhino horn find

Pretoria - Two men found in possession of rhino horns were arrested when their taxi was stopped and searched on the R35 in Vryheid, KwaZulu-Natal police said on Tuesday.

The organised crime and dog unit pounced on the men aged 20 and 35 on Monday, after receiving a tip off that a black rhino was shot at the Hluhluwe/Umfolozi Game Reserve, said Colonel Jay Naicker.

Police set up a road block and arrested the men who were travelling in a taxi from Empangeni to Gauteng. Two rhino horns were found.

Further investigations led police to an AK47 rifle hidden at the home of one of the men in the Melmoth area, said Naicker.

Police were working closely with Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife to locate the carcasses of the animals that the horns belonged to.

Naicker said the pair would appear in the Vryheid Magistrate's Court on Thursday, facing charges of illegal possession of rhino horns, illegal hunting and illegal possession of a firearm.

- SAPA

Cops net rhino horns at road block

Johannesburg - Two men were arrested in the early hours of Monday morning for illegal possession of rhino horns, Western Cape police said.

The horns were found during a routine road block near Beaufort West, Captain Malcolm Pojie said.

"During the subsequent search members found fifteen rhino horns between the luggage of the two suspects. The horns were sealed in wrapped plastic and concealed in the luggage."

The horns weighed about 38kg and were valued around R2.6m, he said.

One of the men fled the scene as the other was being arrested but police found him at a guest house and arrested him as well.

It was alleged that the illegal shipment of rhino horn was destined for Cape Town as the men were travelling by public transport from Johannesburg, Pojie said.

Police were investigating the possibility that they were linked to a syndicate.

Cape Nature Conservation had joined the Provincial Organised Crime Investigation Unit which was attached to the Hawks in assisting with the investigation.

The men were being held in the Beaufort West police holding cells and were expected to appear in court on Wednesday, Pojie said.

- SAPA

This is very sad news, the rhino's are losing the battle.

Ann,

This is stuff from the last 30 days that I had not previously posted. The first story just broke today within the last hour.

Someone has to perfect rhinos without horns.

Mike

lace the horns with radioactive iodine and dribble them into the illegal market. poachers will quickly lose their buyers. for sure nothing else is working.

I'm rolling out a DG package for 2011.
21 day hunt.
Main Trophy will be the African Poacher.
All permits will be included in the price.

Any takers?

Marius

are those trophy's exportable ? and will my 450 NE be enough gun for those.
can i have the hunt filmed

best

peter

KMG,

Make that offer to include the people with diplomatic emunity who are behind the poaching or offer a bounty on them the poacher is the lowest on the food chain in the poaching process.

quote:

Originally posted by ddrhook:
KMG,

Make that offer to include the people with diplomatic emunity who are behind the poaching or offer a bounty on them the poacher is the lowest on the food chain in the poaching process.

+1 It is difficult to kill a snake by knicking the tip of the tail, but taking out poachers may at least save a few Rhinos.