Rhino poaching figures rise

The number of poached rhino for the year has risen to 273, the environmental affairs department said on Tuesday. 

 

Spokesman Albi Modise said in a statement the Kruger National Park bore the brunt of poaching. 

 

Modise said three alleged poachers were arrested in the Tshokwane section of the park last week after a black rhino was killed. 

 

One of the men died in a local hospital after he was wounded in a shoot-out with park rangers. 

 

The rhino horns, as well as a .458 hunting rifle with a silencer, ammunition, and poaching equipment were confiscated from the men. 

 

Last Tuesday an alleged poacher was shot dead by rangers near the Langtoon dam in the park during a shoot-out. 

 

Two guns, ammunition, and poaching equipment were recovered.

 

The park's figures for the year had increased from 180 to 201 poached rhino over the past week. 

 

A total of 41 alleged poachers had been arrested in the Kruger since January.

 

Since the beginning of the year, the North West had a total of 21 rhino poached, while 19 were poached in KwaZulu-Natal, 19 in Limpopo, and 13 in Mpumalanga.