Rhino poaching updates

one star for posting an anti-rhino-poaching video?

2011 has come and gone, leaving in its wake close on 500 known rhino carcasses despite the best efforts of so many. One day, when the syndicates are exposed, I wonder if we’ll ever know the depths to which these greedy and sick individuals have sunk at the expense of these magnificent creatures. According to acclaimed rhino scientists, if poaching continues at its current rate South Africa’s rhino herd will go into population decline by mid-2012.

[link to www.stoprhinopoaching.com]

Some of the rhino poaching statistics

[link to www.stoprhinopoaching.com]

[link to www.businessday.co.za]

THE South African Police Service was "already working on a few leads" after eight rhino carcasses were found in the southern section of the Kruger National Park on Tuesday, South African National Parks spokesman Rey Thakhuli said.

South Africa lost 448 rhinos to poachers last year, of which 252 were in the Kruger National Park. The figure was markedly higher than 2010’s countrywide loss of 333 rhinos and in stark contrast to the loss of 24 in 2006.

I HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL YOU!!!

[link to www.ewn.co.za]

Rhino horn smugglers appear in court

Three men will appear in a Zimbabwean court for rhino horn smuggling on Wednesday.

This after they tried to smuggle US$120,000 (R960,000) worth of horns into South Africa.

Authorities believe the men shot and killed a rhino on a farm in eastern Zimbabwe on New Year’s Eve.

Two men were arrested at Harare’s busy Road Port Terminals, where buses leave for South Africa.

Officials said the two horns weighed 8.2 kilograms and were found inside an Isuzu bakkie.

One of the suspects, Zivanai Masvaire, is a game scout at Eldorado Farm in eastern Macheke.

The official Herald newspaper said he led his two accomplices to the farm to kill the rhino and dehorn it.

Like South Africa, Zimbabwe is battling to preserve its dwindling rhino population.

In the 1980s, Zimbabwe had a rhino population of around 3,000. The figure is now closer to 700.

[link to www.businessday.co.za]

TWO suspected rhino poachers were killed in a shoot-out with game rangers in the Kruger National Park on Wednesday night, park general manager Reynold Thakhuli said on Thursday.

Eight dehorned rhino carcasses were found in the southern section of the park on Tuesday, sparking widespread dismay and outrage because South Africa lost 448 rhinos to poachers last year. The eight found on Tuesday are officially the first for this year.

and further on:
SA is home to almost 90% of the world’s estimated 22800 rhinos. The animals are under unprecedented attack linked to increased demand in Asia, particularly Vietnam, Thailand and Laos, thought to be sparked by increased affluence in the East. There is a mistaken impression that the horn — made of keratin, the fibrous structural proteins that make up hair and nails — has medicinal properties, including as a cure for cancer.

[link to www.businessday.co.za]

Three more rhino carcasses were found in the Kruger National Park on Thursday, following the discovery of eight earlier this week, said South African National Parks (SANParks).

Two suspected poachers were arrested, said Reynold Thakhuli, spokesman for the park.

On Wednesday night, two suspected rhino poachers were killed in a shoot-out with game rangers in the park on Wednesday night, Mr Thakhuli said earlier on Thursday.

Eight dehorned rhino carcasses were found in the southern section of the park on Tuesday, sparking widespread dismay and outrage because South Africa lost 448 rhinos to poachers last year.

[link to www.ewn.co.za]

Water and Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa on Sunday said 150 additional rangers will be deployed to the Kruger National Park, which is facing an onslaught from poachers.

I agree OP rhinos should be protected from poachers. I blame the cock suckers that think the horns will give them magical powers in the bedroom. I think a global campaign to point out that consuming rhino horns makes you impotent should work wonders.

Are you serious?

With all the human suffering in the world, your major concern is rhino poaching?!?

Tell your story on the way out, fuckwit

Since humans are the cause of all these problems, and there are too many humans and not enough rhinos, why not tell this story?

Proof please.

:)

Do you think 22000 Rhinos WORLDWIDE is enough?

[link to www.businessday.co.za]

Parliament's portfolio committee on water and environmental affairs will hold public hearings on possible solutions to combat rhino poaching on Thursday.

The hearings are scheduled to begin at 9.30am in the Old Assembly Chamber in the Old Assembly building.

Eleven rhino have been killed in South Africa since the start of the year, with 448 killed last year.

Lmao I was gonna post this as soon as I saw the name.

[link to www.ewn.co.za]

Three convicted rhino poachers are expected to begin serving their 25-year jail sentence, the South African National Parks (SANParks) said on Wednesday.

This was after they were found guilty of illegal hunting and being in possession of illegal firearms and ammunition by the Phalaborwa Magistrate’s Court in Limpopo.

South Africa lost over 20 rhino in January, while more than 400 animals were killed in 2011.

Walt - thanks for your tireless effort to highlight the effects of this sickness in our country. Your caring is much appreciated.
The thing is, if the big boys at the top of the political food chain have nice deals going with those who run the poaching rings, no amount of prosecutions (successful or not)is going to bring this ongoing massacre to an end.
Each time I read about yet more of these (and other) beautiful creatures being slaughtered, I realise the depraved consciousness that we call 'civilisation' has hit yet another new low.
The sooner this cycle on earth ends, the better for all species!

must need a huge pot to poach a rhino.... do you get free coffee refills and choice of toast with it?

Money money money. It is all about money. As long as money exist every species of animal on this planet will suffer. The Earth itself will suffer. Money is the root of all evil.

[link to www.businessday.co.za]

MOZAMBIQUE was "pondering" legislative changes that would elevate the crime of wildlife poaching to a category of offence that carried heavier sentencing than the current offence of "damage to property", the Mozambican Transfrontier Conservation Area and the South African National Parks (SANParks) said in a joint statement late yesterday.

Much of the rhino poaching that saw a record 448 rhinos poached in SA last year, has taken place in the Kruger National Park that borders Mozambique and with that country’s Limpopo National Park and Zimbabwe’s Gonarezhou National Park forms the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park. Earlier this month three Mozambicans were sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment for rhino poaching.

A rhino died during a media demonstration of an anti-poaching treatment on Thursday, the Rhino Rescue Project said.

"He responded very well to the treatment and the procedure is 100% safe, but there are always huge risks when such a large animal is sedated," said spokesperson Lorinda Hern.

The rhino - named Spencer - died after veterinarians administered a drug to wake him up after a microchip and tracking device were implanted in his horn, said Hern.


more here [link to www.news24.com]

[link to www.news24.com]

Four SA National Parks (SANParks) officials have been arrested in connection with rhino poaching, SANParks said on Wednesday.

The four officials were arrested on Tuesday afternoon after two rhino were found killed in the Kruger National Park (KNP) earlier that morning, SANParks spokesperson Wanda Mkutshulwa said in a statement.

"The animals had been shot and their horns removed. Further investigations into the killing of the two rhino and possibly other rhino poaching incidents in the area are currently being conducted," she said.

All four officials were stationed in the Pretoriuskop section of the park where 11 rhino have been killed since the beginning of the year.

click on the link for the rest of the story

[link to www.ewn.co.za]

Hawks arrest poaching kingpin

A suspected rhino poaching kingpin was behind bars on Monday morning, after four rhino horns and over R60,000 in cash were found in his possession.

more here [link to www.ewn.co.za]

Alleged rhino poacher kills self

A game reserve manager allegedly involved in rhino poaching shot and killed himself at the reserve in Dwaalboom, near Thabazimbi, Limpopo, police said on Tuesday.

more here [link to www.news24.com]

Unfortunately 2012 is even worse than 2011, up to date 618 Rhinos were killed this year, with 2 weeks left of the year, compared to 448 for 2011

[link to www.bdlive.co.za]

AFRICA’s biggest animals were poached in near record numbers in 2012, with surging demand for horn and ivory from Asia driving the slaughter of rhinos and elephants.

By mid-December, poachers had killed 633 rhinos in South Africa, according to environment ministry figures.

That marks a new annual peak in the country that is home to most of the continent’s rhinos, and a sharp rise from the record 448 poached last year and the mere handful of deaths recorded a decade ago.

Elsewhere in Africa, the slaughter of elephants continued unabated, with mass killings reported in Cameroon and Democratic Republic of Congo.

Is it coons spearing them because they can't farm?

Rhinoceros are killed by humans for their horns, which are bought and sold on the black market, and which are used by some cultures for ornamental or (pseudo-scientific) medicinal purposes. The horns are made of keratin, the same type of protein that makes up hair and fingernails.[2]

[link to en.wikipedia.org]

I think SA's government must create a batch of 'false'/ poisoned replacement for rhino horn and then ship that shit of to china under disguise...let a few fuckers die horribly, then they will have second doubts...