Minister Welcomes The Arrest Of Poachers In Tshwane

The Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Mrs Edna Molewa, has commended police for the arrest of five alleged rhino poachers at the Rietvlei Nature Reserve in Tshwane on Monday night. http://bit.ly/19me91p

Over 700 Rhino Killed So Far This Year In South Africa

The number of rhinos killed by poachers has hit a new annual record in South Africa, raising worries of a downward population spiral in a country that is home to almost all of Africa's rhinos.

As of the end of September, 704 rhinos had been killed by poachers in South Africa, exceeding the annual record of 668 set in 2012, according to data provided by the Environmental Affairs ministry on Tuesday.

If the trend keeps at its current pace, more than 1,000 rhinos would be killed in 2014, putting the species on the brink of a population decline that the ministry has said could lead to the end of wild rhinos in about a decade.

The greatest threat to the estimated 22,000 rhinos in South Africa comes from those trying to cash in on the black market value of their horn, which sells at prices higher than gold.

Many of the poachers come from neighboring Mozambique and sell the horn to crime syndicates to feed rapidly rising demand in Southeast Asia, where the horn is thought by some to cure cancer and tame hangovers.

"We need people to be ashamed of this. The fact that our rhinos are killed is because there is a market out there. There are people who are coming to steal our heritage," said Fundisile Mketeni, a top biodiversity official at the ministry.

He said a baby boom among rhino stocks is softening the blow, while the ministry has mounted a global campaign to shut the doors for illegal exports to places such as Vietnam, China and Thailand, which are the main consumers of the contraband.

Most of the killings are taking place in the flagship Kruger National Park, which borders Mozambique. The park covers an area about the size of Israel and has been the focus of an arms race between poachers and rangers.

The park service has been turning its rangers into soldiers, using drones to patrol airspace and sending out crack units by helicopter once suspected poachers have been sighted.

"The poaching syndicates are determined to carry on with their nefarious acts, using the poverty that is prevalent in Mozambique and South Africa to recruit poachers," said Ike Phaahla, a spokesman with South African National Parks.

Up until about 2010, only a handful of rhinos were poached but the number shot up when rumors circulated at about that time that a Vietnamese minister's relative was cured of cancer by the horn. There is no basis in science to support the claim.
 In traditional Chinese medicine, the horn was used to treat maladies from rheumatism to devil possession. Now, many newly rich Vietnamese consume it after a hard night of partying.

Rhino horn, once seen as a treatment only for royalty, is being swallowed by a small segment of the Vietnamese population who can afford prices of about $65,000 a kilogram, conservation groups say.

Due to the high costs, much of the so-called rhino horn sold at pharmacies in major cities is fake, with buffalo horn the main substitute.

"There is a small group who have the money for rhino horn. We need to get out scientific evidence to show the people of Vietnam that it doesn't work," Vo Tuan Nhan, vice chairman of the Vietnamese parliament's science and environment committee, told a seminar in Johannesburg last month.

By:
 Reuters News Agency

On Safari with Mark

29 September 2013

Route: Napi - Doispan - Albaseni - Nkambeni - Fiaya loop - Nkambeni

General animals seen:

Giraffe, warthog, impala, vervet monkeys, common duiker, waterbuck, kudu, zebra and hippo's

10 buffalo bulls on the camp road early this morning

Elephant bull eating  and while we were sitting watching him we had 4 rhino’s come across and graze right next to him. Great photos of two of the big 5 together.

Multiple sightings of elephant and buffalo throughout our drive today.

On our way back to camp we came across 2 male lions walking on albaseni heading towards the doispan junction.

On fiaya loop we had a sable bull in the drainage line grazing just a couple of meters off the road.

Great sightings of rhino on the afternoon drive.

On our return to camp we had 3 elephant bulls just outside of the camp entrance.

Hopefully weather clears up tomorrow and we can get some good cat sightings.

At the moment very cold and rainy

30 September 2013

Route: Voortrekker - S118 - little jock - H3 - Napi - Nkambeni

General animals seen today were:

Kudu, giraffe, zebra, warthog, waterbuck, common duiker, steenbok and hippos

Large herd of elephant just past the first historical sight on Voortrekker

Regular rhino sightings throughout the day.

Female leopard with a impala kill in a apple leaf tree 10m off the road. Spent 45mim with her and guest could get great photos

We got a honey badger 400m down boulders exit

3 Tsesabee just after shitlhave dam on napi road

No lions today but will try for them tomorrow.

Weather clearing up slowly but could be good tomorrow

1 October 2013

Route: Napi - tshokwane - H10 - Eloff

General sightings:

Giraffe,zebra,common duiker, steenbok, waterbuck, buffalo, chackma baboon, vervet monkey, bushbuck, kudu,sable, nyala, tsesabee, hippos and crocodiles

Female hyena feeding her two pups on the side of the road just after transport access road on napi

Huge herds of elephant on the H10

1 honey badger looking for something to eat on H10

1 male cheetah on H10 at molondozi turn off

1 lioness at lubeylubey bridge just lying on the rock enjoying the sun after the last two days of rain

Large herds of elephant on ellof crossing over to have a drink of water

Further to this napi was rather quiet all the way back to camp

Will try for a nice male lion tomorrow morning.

Keep watching for more updates!

Five Heavily Armed Suspected Rhino Poachers Arrested

Five heavily armed suspected rhino poachers were arrested after a gun battle in the heart of greater Pretoria, in Rietvlei Nature Reserve.

One of the suspects was out on bail after being charged with rhino poaching in Potchefstroom earlier this year.

The suspects were found in possession of an assortment of hunting rifles, and handguns fitted with silencers.

Ballistic analysis has linked the weapons to the killing of two rhinos in Dinokeng Nature Reserve, north of Pretoria, two months ago.

Police from the Pretoria Flying Squad and Pretoria Dog Unit, acting on a tip-off from the Hawks, spotted the suspects as they stopped next to Rietvlei Nature Reserve on Sunday night.

The officers had been given a description of their vehicles, a Toyota Hilux and a Toyota Corolla - both of which are believed to have been stolen.

Three years ago, two rhinos were killed in Rietvlei Nature Reserve by poachers operating from helicopters.

Following the killings, the City of Tshwane-run park embarked on a mass dehorning campaign in which all 13 of its rhinos were dehorned yet again in July this year.

Hawks spokesman Captain Paul Ramaloko said the suspects were believed to be part of a large poaching syndicate.

"The men, who were arrested after a shoot-out, have been charged for being in possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition. The police recovered two .458 hunting rifles fitted with silencers, and a 9mm pistol and ammunition. An axe, which [it is believed] was to be used to chop off the horns, [and] cellphones, were also seized," he said.

A City of Tshwane source said game wardens had helped the police track the suspects in the park.He said it was believed that the suspects had planned to kill all 13 of the park's rhino.

"With the weapons and silencers, they would have been able to kill all the rhino without anyone knowing anything until it was too late.

"If they had killed the rhinos, they would have escaped with only a few centimetres of horn because they had recently been dehorned ... it shows how desperate these people are."

By:
 Graeme Hosken

Unitrans Volkswagen Step Up Again In The Fight Against Rhino Poaching

Unitrans Volkswagen is the proud establisher of the Unite Against Poaching initiative.

The handing over of a 4 X 4 Volkswagen Amarok by Kevin Gillmer, Divisional Chief Executive of Unitrans Volkswagen; to Major General (r) Johan Jooste, Officer Commanding Special Projects in the Kruger National Park, confirms our sustained commitment to ensuring that the field rangers on the ground have the skills and equipment to allow them to continue their fight against rhino poaching.

This vehicle will facilitate Major General (r) Johan Jooste, having access to all areas of the Kruger National Park in his on-going battle against the scourge of rhino poaching.

Unite Against Poaching have also just renewed the 4 X 4 Volkswagen Amarok, which is already in use for the ground transport of the Unitrans Volkswagen Tracker Hounds Unit in the Kruger National Park. These tracker hounds have been identified as a significant weapon in the counter poaching arsenal and we are extremely proud to be associated with this particular initiative.

It is in the knowledge that a well-trained and equipped field ranger is one of the most significant weapons in the war against poaching that we confirm our commitment to fighting poaching in our country. Unitrans Volkswagen, through the Unite Against Poaching fund are honoured to have been able to contribute over R 6 million to the fight against rhino poaching, within SANParks.

Together with the SANParks Honorary Rangers we will continue to empower the dedicated field rangers in our National Parks in the protection of our rhinos.

Unitrans Volkswagen certainly proudly stands up to our motto to “Unite Against Poaching”.
 For more information: http://www.sanparksvolunteers.org/

 By:
 Unitrans Volkswagen

Suspected Rhino Poacher Gets Bail

The suspected rhino poacher, arrested in the Kruger National Park a week ago, has been released on R 4 000 bail. 31-year-old Patric Mona has been ordered to report to the nearest police station once a week.

Mona was arrested at a village adjacent to the park during a joint anti-poaching operation by SANParks and the SAPS's Forensics and K 9 units.

Mona was arrested in a village bordering the Kruger Park. Police and SANParks officials found an assortment of hunting equipment, a SANParks Field Rangers Uniform and what is believed to be rhino parts.

The suspect, appeared relaxed in the Hazyview Court on Thursday. His case was postponed to November 7.

The latest figures indicate that 688 rhinos have been killed in South Africa this year. More than half were killed in the Kruger Park.

This despite the many interventions to curb the poaching. The number of people arrested for rhino poaching related offenses has climbed to 194.

Almost 80% of the world's rhino population are found in South Africa. Negotiation to re-erect the border fence in the park are on-going.

By:
 South African Broadcasting Corporation