KNP Rangers successfully arrest four poachers.
The South African National Parks (SANParks) today (Thursday, 25 July 2013) confirmed the arrest of four poachers in the iconic Kruger National Park (KNP) by the SANParks Special Forces and Rangers. The arrests took place in two different sections of the park amid latest statistics released yesterday of 321 rhinos having been poached in the park this year alone.
On Wednesday, 24 July, SANParks Rangers based in the Houtboschrand section of the KNP , made contact with a group of three poachers, a shootout ensued and one poacher was wounded and arrested at the scene, unfortunately the other two managed to escape back into Mozambique. A .458 hunting rifle, ammunition and poaching equipment were recovered.
On the same day in the Olifants Section, SANParks Rangers discovered an active poacher’s camp with empty food cans.
In the third incident early hours of today, a Special Operations team , supported by SANParks Rangers from Shangoni Section tracked down a group of suspected poachers and managed to arrest three who were in possession of two hunting rifles , an AK47 assault rifle with ammunition and an axe.
SANParks Special Operations Head, Major General Johan Jooste (RET) congratulated his members and reminded them that this is a battle we cannot afford to lose… “we are in the full moon period, there are huge numbers of incursions, spoor and many other poaching related activities that are keeping our members busy but we are confident that the gap is slowly closing in on the poachers.”
Jooste said that the cooperation with other anti-poaching units like the SAPS and the SANDF is improving daily and bearing the much needed results.
These latest arrests in the KNP bring the number of suspected poachers behind bars to a total of 67 since the beginning of the year.
Issued by: SANParks Corporate Communication, Tel: 012 426 5170
Media enquiries:
Ike Phaahla – Media Specialist, SANParks, Tel: (012) 426 5315 Cell: 083 673 6974 e-mail: isaac.phaahla@sanparks.org
Or
Reynold “Rey” Thakhuli – General Manager: Media & Stakeholder Relations, SANParks, Tel: (012) 426 5203, cell: 073 373 4999, e-mail: rey.thakhuli@sanparks.org
Verity and Dean Cherry had an African dream in 1999 and started Nhongo Safaris® to eliminate the logistical challenges of international visitors on safari. We provide a once in a lifetime experience for wildlife enthusiast that demand quality overnight safaris in South Africa and most particularly the Kruger National Park. We want to enrich our visitors’ experience by providing Luxury Safari Packages or African Safari Holidays and maintain our position as leader in Kruger Park Safaris.
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Some of Nhongo Safaris Fleet of Open Safari Vehicles
The photo shows some of our fleet of Open Safari Vehicles used while on safari in the Kruger National and Hwange National Parks. These ve...
Friday, 26 July 2013
Thursday, 25 July 2013
On Safari from the 22nd to the 24th July 2013
22 July 2013
Guests were picked up by Dean at Southern Sun Hotel Monte Casino and transferred to the Kruger National Park entering through Numbi gate. After the necessary check in we made our way to Pretoriuskop for lunch.
After a good lunch we then drove down and back on Napi road.
Animals seen were:
Kudu, impala, rhino and elephant.
After some good photos we made our way to the camp for the night for some good rest before the new day dawns.
23 July 2013
Today it was out early, we made our way down Napi road getting sightings of elephant, rhino and buffalo.
We then made our way to skukuza for a good break.
After our break it was back out to see what else we could find. We did the upper triangle around the Sabie low and high water bridges getting good sightings of bushbuck, rhino, buffalo and elephant.
We also got a radio call of a female lion on the S112, we made our way in that direction and found her, after enjoying a good sighting and taking some good photos we made our way up the S114 coming across a female leopard at Stenbuck plains. After spending some time with her and getting some great photos, we made our way back to skukuza for some lunch, before making our way back to camp so that guests could get on their night safari with the Park.
24 July 2013
The next morning, we were out early again to see what this new day in Africa has to offer, before we say goodbye and have to return to Johannesburg.
We got great sightings of rhino, waterbuck, impala, buffalo and elephant.
A great way to end this 3 Day Safari!
Guests were picked up by Dean at Southern Sun Hotel Monte Casino and transferred to the Kruger National Park entering through Numbi gate. After the necessary check in we made our way to Pretoriuskop for lunch.
After a good lunch we then drove down and back on Napi road.
Animals seen were:
Kudu, impala, rhino and elephant.
After some good photos we made our way to the camp for the night for some good rest before the new day dawns.
23 July 2013
Today it was out early, we made our way down Napi road getting sightings of elephant, rhino and buffalo.
We then made our way to skukuza for a good break.
After our break it was back out to see what else we could find. We did the upper triangle around the Sabie low and high water bridges getting good sightings of bushbuck, rhino, buffalo and elephant.
We also got a radio call of a female lion on the S112, we made our way in that direction and found her, after enjoying a good sighting and taking some good photos we made our way up the S114 coming across a female leopard at Stenbuck plains. After spending some time with her and getting some great photos, we made our way back to skukuza for some lunch, before making our way back to camp so that guests could get on their night safari with the Park.
24 July 2013
The next morning, we were out early again to see what this new day in Africa has to offer, before we say goodbye and have to return to Johannesburg.
We got great sightings of rhino, waterbuck, impala, buffalo and elephant.
A great way to end this 3 Day Safari!
On Safari With The Challenge Group From 18 – 21 July 2013
18 July 2013
After picking up the group at Baptist House we made our way to the Kruger National Park entering through Numbi Gate. We then made our way to Skukuza for Lunch.
Animals seen were:
Buffalo, impala, kudu, rhino and elephant.
After a good lunch stop, we drove down to lower Sabie Camp. Getting more elephant, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, impala, lion, crocodile and hippo.
19 July 2013
Today it was out early, with a drive down the road in the direction of Crocodile Bridge going onto the S28.
Animals seen were:
Rhino, elephant, impala, buffalo and lions with there cubs.
After some great photos we made our way back to lower Sabie Camp for breakfast.
After breakfast we made our way back down towards Crocodile Bridge on the tar getting more buffalo, elephants, lion, zebra, wildebeest and warthog.
After a break at Crocodile Bridge we made our way back to the H10 via the S28 getting more zebra, wildebeest and kudu.
We took a drive on the Molondozi loop getting more sightings of elephant and rhino.
After this we made our way back to camp for the evening.
20 July 2013
Today we had a good sighting of wild dog at sunset dam and then it was off up Elloff street to the nkhulu picnic spot and back to lower Sabie Camp.
On this drive we got buffalo, elephant, rhino, lion, leopard, impala, giraffe, crocodile and hippo.
21 July 2013
The Group leaves us today but before we exit back to Johannesburg there is one last drive.
We travelled from lower Sabie to skukuza for breakfast getting good sightings of elephant, buffalo, hyena, lion and black rhino.
After breakfast, we made our way to Numbi gate via transport dam, getting another leopard with a kill in the tree, two hundred meters down the dam access road.
A good sighting to send the group home with!!
All had a great time while on safari and will be back next year!!
After picking up the group at Baptist House we made our way to the Kruger National Park entering through Numbi Gate. We then made our way to Skukuza for Lunch.
Animals seen were:
Buffalo, impala, kudu, rhino and elephant.
After a good lunch stop, we drove down to lower Sabie Camp. Getting more elephant, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, impala, lion, crocodile and hippo.
19 July 2013
Today it was out early, with a drive down the road in the direction of Crocodile Bridge going onto the S28.
Animals seen were:
Rhino, elephant, impala, buffalo and lions with there cubs.
After some great photos we made our way back to lower Sabie Camp for breakfast.
After breakfast we made our way back down towards Crocodile Bridge on the tar getting more buffalo, elephants, lion, zebra, wildebeest and warthog.
After a break at Crocodile Bridge we made our way back to the H10 via the S28 getting more zebra, wildebeest and kudu.
We took a drive on the Molondozi loop getting more sightings of elephant and rhino.
After this we made our way back to camp for the evening.
20 July 2013
Today we had a good sighting of wild dog at sunset dam and then it was off up Elloff street to the nkhulu picnic spot and back to lower Sabie Camp.
On this drive we got buffalo, elephant, rhino, lion, leopard, impala, giraffe, crocodile and hippo.
21 July 2013
The Group leaves us today but before we exit back to Johannesburg there is one last drive.
We travelled from lower Sabie to skukuza for breakfast getting good sightings of elephant, buffalo, hyena, lion and black rhino.
After breakfast, we made our way to Numbi gate via transport dam, getting another leopard with a kill in the tree, two hundred meters down the dam access road.
A good sighting to send the group home with!!
All had a great time while on safari and will be back next year!!
Rhino Poaching Update
Rhino Issue Management Report published by the DEA - The release of the RIM report comes as the number of rhino poached in South Africa increased to 514. http://bit.ly/17CXoum
Wednesday, 24 July 2013
Over 500 Rhino Killed In South Africa
At least 515 rhino have been killed in the country so far this year, the environmental affairs department said on Wednesday.
“I have been told that as of yesterday [Tuesday], a total of 515 rhino have been killed so far this year,” deputy director general Fundisile Mketeni said in Kempton Park at the release of a report on rhino poaching.
“The increase of rhino poaching is continuously being discussed at the highest levels of government.... Your frustrations are also government’s frustrations.” The department’s rhino poaching statistics showed that a total of 668 rhino were killed last year. At least 446 rhino were killed by June this year.
Mketeni said a safety and security strategy developed at a rhino summit in 2010 was being reviewed.
“There will be stakeholder participation in its review. So far, law enforcement authorities have been engaged in fighting poaching, especially in the Kruger National Park.”
Mketeni labelled Vietnam one of the “culprit countries” as far as rhino hunting was concerned. He said in a year there were 100 permit applications from Vietnam to hunt in the country.
The Vietnamese recently put a moratorium on hunting in South Africa after South African government officials visited the country to discuss the matter.
He said talks were also being held with the Southern African Development Community about protecting rhino.
By:
Times Media Group
“I have been told that as of yesterday [Tuesday], a total of 515 rhino have been killed so far this year,” deputy director general Fundisile Mketeni said in Kempton Park at the release of a report on rhino poaching.
“The increase of rhino poaching is continuously being discussed at the highest levels of government.... Your frustrations are also government’s frustrations.” The department’s rhino poaching statistics showed that a total of 668 rhino were killed last year. At least 446 rhino were killed by June this year.
Mketeni said a safety and security strategy developed at a rhino summit in 2010 was being reviewed.
“There will be stakeholder participation in its review. So far, law enforcement authorities have been engaged in fighting poaching, especially in the Kruger National Park.”
Mketeni labelled Vietnam one of the “culprit countries” as far as rhino hunting was concerned. He said in a year there were 100 permit applications from Vietnam to hunt in the country.
The Vietnamese recently put a moratorium on hunting in South Africa after South African government officials visited the country to discuss the matter.
He said talks were also being held with the Southern African Development Community about protecting rhino.
By:
Times Media Group
24 Rhino Horns Seized In Czech Republic
Prague - Czech authorities seized 24 white rhino horns and charged 16 suspected members of an international ring smuggling the prized material to Asia, the customs department said on Tuesday.
The horns, believed in parts of Asia to heal illnesses including cancer and sold as an aphrodisiac, were worth $5m, customs and police officials said.
Demand has risen especially in Vietnam in the past years, leading to a rise in poaching of rhinos and smuggling of horns from Africa.
Police and customs said the ring employed proxy hunters who used a practice under which hunters can get permission to legally shoot one rhino in South Africa and take the horn as a trophy, strictly for non-commercial purposes.
"They were paid by the gang to hunt rhino in South Africa [and] bring the rhino horns as hunters' trophies to the EU," customs officer Ales Hruby said.
The Czech authorities did not give the nationalities of the suspects.
The suspects face up to 8-years in prison if found guilty.
By: News24.com
The horns, believed in parts of Asia to heal illnesses including cancer and sold as an aphrodisiac, were worth $5m, customs and police officials said.
Demand has risen especially in Vietnam in the past years, leading to a rise in poaching of rhinos and smuggling of horns from Africa.
Police and customs said the ring employed proxy hunters who used a practice under which hunters can get permission to legally shoot one rhino in South Africa and take the horn as a trophy, strictly for non-commercial purposes.
"They were paid by the gang to hunt rhino in South Africa [and] bring the rhino horns as hunters' trophies to the EU," customs officer Ales Hruby said.
The Czech authorities did not give the nationalities of the suspects.
The suspects face up to 8-years in prison if found guilty.
By: News24.com
Tuesday, 23 July 2013
Monday, 22 July 2013
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