Rhino Poaching 2017-2023

[Richprins]

Definitely from Mozambique? Without help from this side?

[Lisbeth]

Who knows

[Richprins]

It is a disturbing trend over the last year or two that poachers are tracked from Moz making a straight line to a rhino without deviating, for tens of kilometres. They respond to a call from a "tourist" or staff.

That said, the Moz poachers avoid areas near tourist roads, like this. So who knows indeed!

[Flutterby]

[Richprins]

Update
Photo of Pride of Lion stationary
'still eating on carcass'
S107, Nhlanganzwani
Near Lower Sabie
5/5
Tinged by Kerry - Kruger Pride Safaris
(Photo)

[Klipspringer]

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-1 ... 587791.htm?

Namibia records 51 poaching cases this year
Source: Xinhua| 2019-11-27 22:01:56|Editor: Shi Yinglun

WINDHOEK, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- Namibia has recorded 51 poaching incidences since January, spokesperson of the Environment and Tourism Ministry Romeo Muyunda said Wednesday.

According to the statistics, 12 elephants and 39 rhinos were poached since January.

"The complexity of the poaching syndicates which have commercialized the practice makes it hard to crack down. However, we are in a process of establishing where the problems are and align our strategies accordingly," Muyunda said.

He said the poaching incidences were recorded from mainly private and custodian farms while seven poaching incidences were recorded in the national parks namely Bwabwata, Etosha and Waterberg.

According to statistics, last year, a total of 57 rhinos and 26 elephants were poached while 120 suspected poachers were arrested.

"We are making arrests in poaching-related cases, thanks to our collaboration with the law enforcement agencies (Police and Namibia Defence Forces).

"Our strategies at the moment includes the regular patrols and intelligence at most. We want to be able to intercept poaching cases before they actually happen," he said.

The ministry is currently lobbying for harsher punishments for those found guilty of poaching.

Last year, the ministry established an Anti-Poaching Unit to help curb poaching.

[Richprins]

But good that they are taking steps.

[Lisbeth]

Until now there has not been much information on poaching in Namibia, but obviously they are targetted too

[Alf]

So sad

[Lisbeth]

Rhino poaching rises in Botswana despite government crackdown

2019-12-23 22:00 | AFP

Thirteen rhinos have been poached in Botswana in the last two months, the tourism ministry said, as the government tries to crackdown on hunting of the endangered species.

The country is home to just under 400 rhinos, according to Rhino Conservation Botswana, most of them roam the grassy plains of the northern Okavango Delta.

"From October 2019 to date, 13 more rhinos have been poached," the ministry said in a statement released over the weekend, adding that the number of rhinos poached since October 2018 now stands at 31.

Twenty three of those were white rhinoceros and eight were black rhinoceros, which are classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

"This unfortunate situation on the country's population has continued with more rhinos being killed from October 2019 to date," the ministry said.

In October, the government reported nine rhinos had been killed between April and October this year.

The thousands of rhinos that once roamed Africa and Asia have been culled by poaching and habitat loss. Very few are found outside national parks and reserves.

The tourism ministry said the government has stepped up efforts to tackle poaching with interventions leading to the recovery of some horns and hunting weapons.

The ministry reported seven casualties among poachers who were resisting arrest.

Sold for up to $60 300 per kg on the black market, rhino horn is used in traditional medicine or as a symbol of wealth and success.

Botswana's neighbour South Africa lost 769 rhinos to poachers last year, and more than 7 100 animals have been slaughtered over the past decade

There are fewer than 25,000 rhinos left in the wild in Africa due to a surge in poaching, and only 5,000 of them are black rhinos.