A poacher who attempted to flee after killing a rhino has been shot and wounded by Kruger National Park rangers.
Rangers in Kruger National Park managed to shoot and wound one rhino poacher in an exchange of gunfire that occurred after a dead rhino was found early Monday morning. The rhino had been shot and its horns were still intact.
Although two poachers managed to escape, the other is hospitalized and will appear in the Saselamani Periodical Court following recovery.
Park spokesperson William Mambasa said via The Independent that the group of three poachers were wearing ranger uniforms as a disguise. The shooting occurred between Punda Maria and Shingwedzi Camp.
Rhinos killed by poachers in South Africa 2007 – present
At least 93 rhinos were slaughtered in South Africa between January and May of this year alone. Sadly, the actual number is likely quite a bit higher: It was recently estimated that a rhino is killed in South Africa every 41 hours.
- 2007: 13 rhinos killed
- 2008: 83 rhinos killed
- 2009: 122 rhinos killed
Rhino poaching syndicates operating in South Africa
Organized poaching syndicates are operating in South Africa, where they work with rhino industry “insiders” who have succumbed to the lucrative profits of illegal rhino horn trade.
A recent Africa Geographic article noted that park rangers, senior managers, and even veterinarians were likely involved in the gruesome business – and last month, a rhino poaching syndicate bust led to a well-known trophy hunt operator.
It was reported in The Herald that a Vietnamese syndicate operating in Port Elizabeth receives the rhino horn and arranges the sale and transport out of the country.
We have had many cases where Port Elizabeth men have been arrested in Gauteng and the Free State for dealing in rhino horn or transporting large amounts of horn illegally for sale before export.
Two men from Fort Beaufort, three from Port Elizabeth, three from Port Alfred and another from East London were all arrested over the past two years for being involved in poaching. Most of them have strong ties to Port Elizabeth and almost all of them were caught transporting or selling horns in other provinces.
Illegal rhino horn trade driven by medical myths about rhino horn
The latest research via the IUCN/SSC and TRAFFIC found that most rhino horn leaving Africa is destined for end-use markets in China and Vietnam.
The continued involvement of Vietnamese and Chinese nationals in the acquisition of rhino horns within Africa needs to be addressed from the standpoint of collective and collaborative law enforcement action involving authorities both in Africa and Asia.
Currently, most rhino horns leaving southern Africa are destined for end-use markets in southeast and east Asia, especially Viet Nam and China.
Persistent cultural superstitions in east and southeast Asia attribute “healing powers” to rhino horn – despite scientific analysis proving rhino horn has no medicinal effects on humans.
So-called “traditional medicines” derived from rhino horn are still manufactured and marketed by Chinese pharmaceutical companies. In addition, China’s traditional medicine industry received an unprecedented budget ($130 million) from the PRC government in 2007, which many believe is behind the major spike in rhino poaching.
Source: The Independent
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
See Rhino Horn is Not Medicine for more information.