Dehorned Karoo rhino dies


The rhino that was dehorned at a private game reserve in the Karoo has died.

Poachers targeted the Aquila Game Reserve at the weekend, initially killing one rhino and leaving two others severely injured.

The horn of a young bull named Absa was hacked off.

Aquila's Searle Damon said they did their best to save the animal.

“When the vets got here we went for an operation and to dart him but when we got there he passed away. He was lying there with foam coming out of his nose,” he said.

Injured rhino still critical

Veterinarians and rangers are still struggling to keep a dehorned rhino alive, the owner of the Aquila Private Game Reserve said on Tuesday.

Poachers targeted the Western Cape reserve at the weekend, killing one rhino and leaving two others injured.

A young bull called Absa survived after its horn was hacked off.

However, the owner Searl Derman said they are battling to keep the animal hydrated.

“We got the liquid into the rhino. It’s such a challenging environment, everything we attempt now has got its pros and its cons and all the cons are life threatening,” he said.

Game ranger involved in latest rhino poaching incident

Staff at the Aquila Game Reserve in the Karoo on Tuesday said they suspected a game ranger may have been involved the Western Cape's most recent rhino poaching incident.

Investigators found a glove and a jersey at the scene.

They believe the items may belong to a nature conservationist or a game ranger.

One of the three rhinos targeted on Saturday has died.

Aquila's Searle Derman said, “The whole attempt is to try and find someone who might know someone who has a jersey like that and who has the means. Like a military person or even a game ranger.”

Injured W.Cape rhino battles to survive

A rhino that had its horn hacked off by poachers at the Aquila Private Game Reserve in the Western Cape over the weekend was still battling to survive on Monday.

A group of poachers targeted three of the Karoo reserve’s rhinos on Saturday.

The injured animal nicknamed 'Big Boy' lost a lot of blood in the attack.

The reserve's owner Searle Derman said, “This morning he woke up closer to the water so we hope he drank, but we are not sure. He was in a good position. A little bit later he was in a bad position."

"The position is very important because if the muscles get hurt, he could be paralysed for a very long time,” Derman explained.

The animal was put on a drip for a second time on Monday afternoon as it lost a lot of blood.
Derman said, “We are going to try and get 40 litres of fluid into him via a drip over the next three hours.”

Rhino ‘massacre’ at game reserve


Security at Aquila Private Game Reserve near Touws River is being beefed up after a brutal attack by poachers at the weekend left one rhino dead and one battling for survival.

Two male rhinos and a female were attacked on Saturday morning by poachers who reserve owner Searl Derman believes were armed with chainsaws, machetes and pangas.

They were first shot with tranquilliser darts, which Derman said could cause fatal muscle and organ damage.

Aquila’s anti-poaching team found the first male rhino with his front horn removed.

Derman believed the team had startled the poachers – the animal’s second horn was only sawn halfway off when he was found.

“They wouldn’t just leave a R1 million horn behind,” he said.

The rhino, one of the first to be homed at Aquila, is now battling to stay alive.

“It’s been a very traumatic day. We’ve been trying, struggling, to get water to him and give injections,” said Derman.

The rhino suffered huge blood loss and a bad leg injury, he said.

The young female rhino was found with a dart in her shoulder, but had not been dehorned.

She was given an antidote and was recovering well, Derman said.

Aquila’s anti-poaching team set out to find the third rhino, which was unaccounted for.

Helicopters and a light aircraft scoured the reserve and eventually found the animal.

“It was a massacre,” said a shattered Derman.

“He must have had his face hacked off with a chainsaw and the horns axed off with machetes, from the cut marks we saw.

“It was the hardest moment of my life.”

The incident – the third attack on rhinos at the reserve this year – has prompted Derman to further bulk up security measures at the reserve.

Before Saturday’s attack, there were six rhino on the reserve.

Derman said he planned to buy additional “firepower”, and 24 guards had been placed at strategic points along the reserve’s boundaries.

Vehicles would patrol the veld 24 hours a day, he said.

Derman is offering a reward of R100 000 to anyone with information about the attack.

Provincial police spokesman Captain FC van Wyk confirmed yesterday that no arrests had been made.

A case of rhino poaching had been opened for investigation, Van Wyk said.