Co-owner of Pumba Game Reserve Dale Howarth has confirmed that another three rhinos – two adults and one calf – were found dead at the reserve on the morning of Wednesday 16 April.
Co-owner of Pumba Game Reserve Dale Howarth has confirmed that another three rhinos – two adults and one calf – were found dead at the reserve on the morning of Wednesday 16 April.
This brings to six the number of rhinos poached at the reserve outside Grahamstown in the past month and a half.
Howarth said darts were used to take the rhino down, but that he did not wish to comment further as this may compromise the intense police investigation into the matter.
The killings come just a day after the Hawks said they were confident they would soon arrest the poachers responsible for poaching three rhinos – including two pregnant cows – at Pumba last month.
Algoa FM yesterday reported Captain Ramaloko from the SAPS Hawks saying they are following up positive leads in relation to other poaching incidents in the Eastern Cape.
The Hawks – also known as the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation – are a specialist unit of the SAPS. They have been joined by the Department of Environmental Affairs’ elite Green Scorpions Unit and the Indalo Group Rhino Security Team in combating the scourge of poaching in the Eastern Cape.
Meanwhile, Mark Wilby of the rhino activist project, The Cliptivists, has invited the public to a meeting at 6pm on Wednesday 23 April in Room 20 of the Rhodes Environmental Learning Research Centre to discuss how citizens can help to take up the cause of rhino poaching with "the audience that matters".
In response to the latest killings, Wilby said, "In one sense, I feel wholely inadequate commenting in the face of such a tragedy. Immediate response is the job of law enforcement.
"But at the same time, such a crime is inevitably bred of greed, corruption, inequity and superstition. If we as civil society don’t address our priorities and deal with these issues, then such outrages will resurface time and again, in one form or another – much as rhino poaching was bound to return to the Eastern Cape.
"Simple outrage is insufficient," he added.
Official records released by the Department of Environmental Affairs in March this year indicated that 172 rhino have been killed by poachers since the start of 2014, while 1004 were killed during the course of 2013.
The Wilderness Foundation has offered a R50 000 reward for information leading to the successful arrest and conviction of the poachers involved. If the public have any information that can assist in the apprehension of these perpetrators, they can contact the Rhino Anti-Poaching Tip-off Line on 078696 9494.
Open public meeting on rhino poaching
Meet the Cliptivists at 6pm, Wednesday 23 April 2014
Room 20, Environmental Learning Research Centre, Lucas Avenue, St Peter’s Campus (above Eden Grove, behind Alumni House)
Further info: mark@theymademedoit.co.za or 083 9449475
