In a desperate attempt to turn the tide against rhino poaching, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife has opted for a desperate measure of literally poisoning rhino horns in order to render them unusable if the rhino has been poached.
The trial was launched yesterday at the Tembe Elephant Park and Ndumo Game Reserve considered the frontline of future poaching in the province. Both parks in the northern KwaZulu-Natal are on the border with Mozambique.
This pioneering trial rhino horn infusion programme is being funded by the Peace Parks foundation as part of their broader involvement in the Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation area that connects protected areas in Mozambique, South Africa and Swaziland.
The injection of this poisoned insecticide and the infusion of an indelible coloured dye are the work of Rhino Rescue Project’s two founders, Dr Charles van Niekerk and Dr Lorinda Hern. Both infusions are considered harmless to the rhino.
Dr Van Niekerk said the poison could be safely and relatively quickly injected into the base of the horn, spreading throughout the keratin protein that comprises a horn, making it “extremely toxic” in the event of human consumption. The indestructible dye acts as a warning to end-users that a horn has been contaminated and should not be consumed as well as reducing its aesthetic appeal.
“This dye is visible on an x-ray scanner even when the horn is ground to a fine powder. Airport security checkpoints are almost certain to pick up the presence of this dye,” Van Niekerk said.
At the end of this battle, we should emerge as winners, not the poachers
rhino will have their DNA recorded and transponders inserted.
Speaking at the launch, Ezemvelo CEO Dr Bandile Mkhize said the war against poaching would not be won by poachers. “Through collaboration, the winner will be all of us.
“At the end of this battle, we should emerge as winners, not the poachers,” said Mkhize.
So far, KZN has lost 63 rhinos due to poaching while the Tembe and Ndumo parks combined have lost 11 rhinos.
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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Friday 13 September 2013
Four Suspected Rhino Poachers Arrested In KwaZulu-Natal
Four rhino poaching suspects have been arrested near the Tembe Elephant Park in northern KZN in what Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife says is its single biggest anti-poaching success to date.
A bolt-action rifle, ammunition, silencer and an axe were found on the group consisting of three South Africans and one Mozambican national who were arrested yesterday in the Bhekabantu District.
The rifle will be sent for ballistic tests to determine whether it has been used for to poach any rhinos.
Ezemvelo KZN's Musa Mntambo says they're slowly honing in on suspects.
"Last year during the course of the whole year we arrested 33 people who were involved in rhino poaching. And this year alone, we've surpassed that...we are approaching 45 people arrested already," he said.
Mntambo says the four suspects are expected to appear in court this week.
By:
East Coast Radio
A bolt-action rifle, ammunition, silencer and an axe were found on the group consisting of three South Africans and one Mozambican national who were arrested yesterday in the Bhekabantu District.
The rifle will be sent for ballistic tests to determine whether it has been used for to poach any rhinos.
Ezemvelo KZN's Musa Mntambo says they're slowly honing in on suspects.
"Last year during the course of the whole year we arrested 33 people who were involved in rhino poaching. And this year alone, we've surpassed that...we are approaching 45 people arrested already," he said.
Mntambo says the four suspects are expected to appear in court this week.
By:
East Coast Radio
Kruger National Park Raises Rhino Awareness With Vietnam
The Kruger National Park is, for the first time, hosting a delegation of environmental authorities from Vietnam in a bid to raise awareness about rhino poaching and its effects in Southern Africa.
The Vietnamese officials revealed rhino horn continues to gain popularity in their country and the penalties for poaching and smuggling are far less stringent.
The deputy chief of Vietnam’s environmental police said only five people were arrested in Vietnam for smuggling wildlife this year.
If found guilty, the accused can face a jail sentence of between five and seven years.
Vietnam’s National Assembly member said there’s still a big perception amongst his country’s general population that rhino horns have medicinal benefits, adding that dispelling the myth is one of their biggest challenges.
At present 100 grams of rhino horn costs about R50,000 in Vietnam.
This has made the rare commodity a symbol of status amongst the country’s affluent class.
Vietnam’s deputy police chief has also revealed that a person was caught at the Nội Bài International Airport in Hanoi with six horns that weighed approximately 16 kilograms.
He said this was one of the nation’s biggest busts.
By:
Eyewitness News
The Vietnamese officials revealed rhino horn continues to gain popularity in their country and the penalties for poaching and smuggling are far less stringent.
The deputy chief of Vietnam’s environmental police said only five people were arrested in Vietnam for smuggling wildlife this year.
If found guilty, the accused can face a jail sentence of between five and seven years.
Vietnam’s National Assembly member said there’s still a big perception amongst his country’s general population that rhino horns have medicinal benefits, adding that dispelling the myth is one of their biggest challenges.
At present 100 grams of rhino horn costs about R50,000 in Vietnam.
This has made the rare commodity a symbol of status amongst the country’s affluent class.
Vietnam’s deputy police chief has also revealed that a person was caught at the Nội Bài International Airport in Hanoi with six horns that weighed approximately 16 kilograms.
He said this was one of the nation’s biggest busts.
By:
Eyewitness News
Thursday 12 September 2013
On Safari With Mark From 9 September 2013
9 September 2013
Dean hands over two guests Kate and Al from the United States to Mark.
Route: Albeseni - Doispan - Eloff - Napi – Nkambeni Tented Camp
General animals seen:
Kudu, giraffe, zebra, chackma baboon, vervet monkey, nyala bulls, common duiker, steenbok, rhino and buffalo.
2 lion sightings for the day: 1 female next to a buffalo bull that they killed in the river on the eastern side of highlevel bridge on ellof. 3 female and 1 male just past nkuklu picnic spot all lying in the shade.
On our return along napi a young male leopard walked out next to us crossed over the road and into the bushes. Brilliant sighting!
10 September 2013
Today after a good breakfast it was out to see what we could find!
Route: Napi - Ellof - S30 - Ellof - Napi
General sighting was also very good today with the following spotted:
Kudu, waterbuck, bushbuck, nyala, chackma baboons, vervet monkeys, crocodile, hippos, many elephant sightings, rhino and buffalo.
As we approached the S65 on napi we had a female and male lion walk out in front of us. They lay down approximately 5m from the open vehicle.
We found a male leopard 400m from napi on the H3. He walked next to the open vehicle and great photo opportunities given to the guests.
At skakuza we herd of a kill on S30 and took a drive there. It wasn’t long till we found a male giraffe killed by 3 lions on the road. Was fantastic!
On our return back to camp not much but elephants to be seen on the road. Guest will be going on their sundown drive this evening.
11 September 2013
Today we say goodbye to Kate and Al and hello to Darrel, his wife and 10 year old daughter.
Morning Route:
Route: Fayai loop - Numbi tar
General game spotted:
Kudu, giraffe, warthog, rheedbuck, chackma baboon, vervet monkeys, hippos and sable antelope.
500m before the end of fiaya loop we got a pack of 8 wild dogs run into the road and lie down in front of us. Spent approximately 30min with them and then headed to the gate to hand over guests to Verity to return to Johannesburg as well as receive Darrel and his family.
Afternoon drive:
Route: Napi - Klipspringer Koppies - S65 - Doispan - Albaseni back to Pretoriuskop camp.
General animals seen:
Kudu, waterbuck, common duiker, steenbok, warthogs, rhinos and hippos.
Male leopard spotted on the napi 500m past klipspringer koppies busy eating an impala on the ground.
Herd of buffalo at Niamundwa dam distant visual.
3 large elephant bulls on napi 200m before the S65
8 lions killed a buffalo bull 1.2kms from albaseni junction on doispan.
That's all for today, we see what tomorrow gives.
Keep watching for more!
Dean hands over two guests Kate and Al from the United States to Mark.
Route: Albeseni - Doispan - Eloff - Napi – Nkambeni Tented Camp
General animals seen:
Kudu, giraffe, zebra, chackma baboon, vervet monkey, nyala bulls, common duiker, steenbok, rhino and buffalo.
2 lion sightings for the day: 1 female next to a buffalo bull that they killed in the river on the eastern side of highlevel bridge on ellof. 3 female and 1 male just past nkuklu picnic spot all lying in the shade.
On our return along napi a young male leopard walked out next to us crossed over the road and into the bushes. Brilliant sighting!
10 September 2013
Today after a good breakfast it was out to see what we could find!
Route: Napi - Ellof - S30 - Ellof - Napi
General sighting was also very good today with the following spotted:
Kudu, waterbuck, bushbuck, nyala, chackma baboons, vervet monkeys, crocodile, hippos, many elephant sightings, rhino and buffalo.
As we approached the S65 on napi we had a female and male lion walk out in front of us. They lay down approximately 5m from the open vehicle.
We found a male leopard 400m from napi on the H3. He walked next to the open vehicle and great photo opportunities given to the guests.
At skakuza we herd of a kill on S30 and took a drive there. It wasn’t long till we found a male giraffe killed by 3 lions on the road. Was fantastic!
On our return back to camp not much but elephants to be seen on the road. Guest will be going on their sundown drive this evening.
11 September 2013
Today we say goodbye to Kate and Al and hello to Darrel, his wife and 10 year old daughter.
Morning Route:
Route: Fayai loop - Numbi tar
General game spotted:
Kudu, giraffe, warthog, rheedbuck, chackma baboon, vervet monkeys, hippos and sable antelope.
500m before the end of fiaya loop we got a pack of 8 wild dogs run into the road and lie down in front of us. Spent approximately 30min with them and then headed to the gate to hand over guests to Verity to return to Johannesburg as well as receive Darrel and his family.
Afternoon drive:
Route: Napi - Klipspringer Koppies - S65 - Doispan - Albaseni back to Pretoriuskop camp.
General animals seen:
Kudu, waterbuck, common duiker, steenbok, warthogs, rhinos and hippos.
Male leopard spotted on the napi 500m past klipspringer koppies busy eating an impala on the ground.
Herd of buffalo at Niamundwa dam distant visual.
3 large elephant bulls on napi 200m before the S65
8 lions killed a buffalo bull 1.2kms from albaseni junction on doispan.
That's all for today, we see what tomorrow gives.
Keep watching for more!
Wednesday 11 September 2013
Giants Sold For The First Time In Five Years
Following the approval of the SANParks Elephant management plans, elephants from the Kruger National Park will be sold for the first time since 2008. The first sale was to take place in August (but was not confirmed due to permit requirements from buyers) and a second round is expected to take place again next year.
“an advertisemengt asking for bidding prices was put out for the elephant to be sold on the best price principal,” says Markus Hofmeyr, head of SANParks Veterinary Wildlife Services.
“There may be requests for donations, especially family groups, which we will be considered on a case by case basis,” he says. “these elephants are then moved and we only recover the cost of the capture and transport.”
Hofmeyr adds that the market for elephants is very limited as most areas that can take them already have.
Many reserves with elephants also want to move theirs. Yet there are still game farms in KwaZulu-Natal that can accommodate them and there are two properties that want bulls.
Income from the sales will go to the Parks Development Fund, which is used for SANParks conservation priority and conservation projects.
By the SANParks Times Newspaper
“an advertisemengt asking for bidding prices was put out for the elephant to be sold on the best price principal,” says Markus Hofmeyr, head of SANParks Veterinary Wildlife Services.
“There may be requests for donations, especially family groups, which we will be considered on a case by case basis,” he says. “these elephants are then moved and we only recover the cost of the capture and transport.”
Hofmeyr adds that the market for elephants is very limited as most areas that can take them already have.
Many reserves with elephants also want to move theirs. Yet there are still game farms in KwaZulu-Natal that can accommodate them and there are two properties that want bulls.
Income from the sales will go to the Parks Development Fund, which is used for SANParks conservation priority and conservation projects.
By the SANParks Times Newspaper
Tuesday 10 September 2013
Plane Donation Helps To Fight Rhino Poaching In Kruger National Park
Rhino in the Kruger National Park will get additional protection with the donation of a light aeroplane to spot potential poaching activities.
The massive park makes it difficult for ground-based poaching prevention activities.
"The Kruger National Park covers an area of almost 19 633km² - that's roughly the size of Israel," said Bryn Pyne-James, senior general manager for SANParks fundraising.
"Protecting an area that large against poachers with ground-based vehicles alone is impossible, but with air support we have a chance," he added.
Rhino populations are coming under increasing threat and a large percentage have been poached in the national park.
According to the department of environmental affairs (DEA), 553 rhino have been poached in SA so far this year. Of these, 345, or 62%, have been poached in the Kruger Park.
Poaching is on course to nearly double the 668 total of 2012, which was also significantly higher than the 448 poached in 2011.
Rangers in the park had access to an aircraft, and it proved to be effective in deterring poachers.
"We initially used a four-cylinder Bantam light aircraft, which we traded up for a six-cylinder Bantam," said ranger Steven Whitfield. "It proved to be a very important anti-poaching tool."
However, that plane was destroyed in an accident in 2012 and this year, a chance meeting between Vox Telecom CEO Jacques du Toit and senior general manager of SANParks Fundraising, Bryn Pyne-James, resulted the telecoms company donating an aeroplane for use in anti-poaching operations.
"Conserving our natural environment is one of the core aims of our corporate social investment programme, and this was one of the most rewarding investments we could make," said Clayton Timcke head of Marketing at Vox Telecom.
Efforts against poachers are paying off, but more needs to be done on the demand side for horn before rhino populations begin to decline.
The DEA said that 148 poachers have been arrested in 2013, compared to 267 last year, and 232 in 2011, but the WWF said that the focus should be pointed to Asia while continuing to target local poachers.
"I absolutely agree Asia is the root of the problem - obviously in South Africa we must do as much as we can to protect the rhino, but that's not going to solve the problem. I think that's a key point," Dr Jo Shaw, Rhino Co-ordinator for the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-SA) told News24.
The park is trying to raise funds to buy four additional aeroplanes to conduct anti-poaching activities.
By:
Duncan Alfreds | News24.com
The massive park makes it difficult for ground-based poaching prevention activities.
"The Kruger National Park covers an area of almost 19 633km² - that's roughly the size of Israel," said Bryn Pyne-James, senior general manager for SANParks fundraising.
"Protecting an area that large against poachers with ground-based vehicles alone is impossible, but with air support we have a chance," he added.
Rhino populations are coming under increasing threat and a large percentage have been poached in the national park.
According to the department of environmental affairs (DEA), 553 rhino have been poached in SA so far this year. Of these, 345, or 62%, have been poached in the Kruger Park.
Poaching is on course to nearly double the 668 total of 2012, which was also significantly higher than the 448 poached in 2011.
Rangers in the park had access to an aircraft, and it proved to be effective in deterring poachers.
"We initially used a four-cylinder Bantam light aircraft, which we traded up for a six-cylinder Bantam," said ranger Steven Whitfield. "It proved to be a very important anti-poaching tool."
However, that plane was destroyed in an accident in 2012 and this year, a chance meeting between Vox Telecom CEO Jacques du Toit and senior general manager of SANParks Fundraising, Bryn Pyne-James, resulted the telecoms company donating an aeroplane for use in anti-poaching operations.
"Conserving our natural environment is one of the core aims of our corporate social investment programme, and this was one of the most rewarding investments we could make," said Clayton Timcke head of Marketing at Vox Telecom.
Efforts against poachers are paying off, but more needs to be done on the demand side for horn before rhino populations begin to decline.
The DEA said that 148 poachers have been arrested in 2013, compared to 267 last year, and 232 in 2011, but the WWF said that the focus should be pointed to Asia while continuing to target local poachers.
"I absolutely agree Asia is the root of the problem - obviously in South Africa we must do as much as we can to protect the rhino, but that's not going to solve the problem. I think that's a key point," Dr Jo Shaw, Rhino Co-ordinator for the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-SA) told News24.
The park is trying to raise funds to buy four additional aeroplanes to conduct anti-poaching activities.
By:
Duncan Alfreds | News24.com
Monday 9 September 2013
Poaching Update
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