THREE more rhinos have been poached in KwaZulu-Natal in the past four days, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife said yesterday.
"Field rangers discovered the de-horned carcass of a young adult male white rhino in the southern area of the western shores of iSimangaliso Wetland Park on November 26. A postmortem examination established that the animal was probably shot about a week earlier," the organisation's chief executive Bandile Mkhize said.
Rangers in the Hluhluwe-uMfolozi Park found the de-horned carcasses of two more white rhinos in the uMfolozi section of the park on Monday.
Despite these losses, Ezemvelo Wildlife remained "optimistic" about the fight against rhino poaching.
Mkhize gave a presentation on rhino poaching to the South African Association for the Conference Industry recently, where members "enthusiastically promised financial support for ongoing rhino anti-poaching work in the KZN park system".
He said 18 more field rangers would be deployed to the Hluhluwe-uMfolozi Park today.
Yesterday, three suspected rhino poachers were caught in the Tembe Elephant Park near the Mozambique border.
"On being challenged by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife field rangers the men opened fire and an exchange of gunfire ensued, during which one suspect was wounded."
The two other men were arrested. The wounded man was taken to hospital in Kwangwanase (Manguzi). Police are investigating.
About 289 rhinos have been poached countrywide since the start of the year.
3 more rhino poached - 289 this year
THREE more rhinos have been poached in KwaZulu-Natal in the past four days, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife said yesterday.
"Field rangers discovered the de-horned carcass of a young adult male white rhino in the southern area of the western shores of iSimangaliso Wetland Park on November 26. A postmortem examination established that the animal was probably shot about a week earlier," the organisation's chief executive Bandile Mkhize said.
Rangers in the Hluhluwe-uMfolozi Park found the de-horned carcasses of two more white rhinos in the uMfolozi section of the park on Monday.
Despite these losses, Ezemvelo Wildlife remained "optimistic" about the fight against rhino poaching.
Mkhize gave a presentation on rhino poaching to the South African Association for the Conference Industry recently, where members "enthusiastically promised financial support for ongoing rhino anti-poaching work in the KZN park system".
He said 18 more field rangers would be deployed to the Hluhluwe-uMfolozi Park today.
Yesterday, three suspected rhino poachers were caught in the Tembe Elephant Park near the Mozambique border.
"On being challenged by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife field rangers the men opened fire and an exchange of gunfire ensued, during which one suspect was wounded."
The two other men were arrested. The wounded man was taken to hospital in Kwangwanase (Manguzi). Police are investigating.
About 289 rhinos have been poached countrywide since the start of the year.
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