SA, Mozambique united in fight against poaching

Poachers started using different areas on the border to penetrate into the park.

Head of the anti-poaching unit in LNP Carlos Pereira says Mozambicans and South Africans are working together in an attempt to prevent poachers from exiting the Mozambican side with rhino horns. 

Operations have now shifted to the Western boundary. 

Pereira says they are adapting to the changes in strategy from the poachers. There are more than 3000 dedicated rangers, military and police officials working against poaching in Mozambique.

A crucial part of anti-poaching strategy was the criminalization of poaching in 2014.

However, Pereira says they aren't happy with the new law because it only targets poachers and not the syndicate and traffickers.

"The law privileges traffickers, and the traffickers are the reason for this disaster we are facing, a poacher can be recruited anywhere."

Pereira says they are proposing that the law not only fine traffickers but also hand down jail time of between 8 and 16 years.

Mozambique is also in the process of establishing a wildlife crime unit which will specialise in combating poaching and the involvement of communities through the legal system.

LNP is also looking into establishing a wildlife crime unit that will specialise in training rangers and training them to effectively combat poaching, arrest poachers and save wildlife. 

Edited by: Marius van der Walt