Counter Poaching Efforts

[Alf]

I hope they know how to use it and not kill other animals in the process

[Richprins]

There was an article in Beeld saturday, Alf...it's used for firing "green" ammo that is environmentally friendly...flares, smoke etc. It biodegrades!

[Lisbeth]

[Alf]

There was an article in Beeld saturday, Alf...it's used for firing "green" ammo that is environmentally friendly...flares, smoke etc. It biodegrades!

They still need to know how to use it

[Lisbeth]

WESSA awards highlight critical rhino conservation efforts


2016-09-20 08:42 - Louzel Lombard

The WESSA (Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa) paid tribute to environmental achievements of the past year while highlighting the importance of community-driven conservation efforts at the recent WESSA award.

The awards were presented at the organisation’s 90th annual general meeting, which was hosted by the WESSA’s Lowveld membership branch at Skukuza in the Kruger National Park on Saturday, 17 September.

In addition to the awards ceremony, roleplayers in conservation shared personal and professional insights into their work on a variety of important projects.

Chris Galliers, WESSA’s Senior Manager for Wildlife & Conservation Initiatives, spoke specifically about WESSA’s Rhino Initiative work, saying South Africans should take ownership of our natural heritage. "Local communities, in particular, need to become involved and benefit from our remarkable biodiversity," he says.

Galliers also heads up WESSA's rhino initiative, which was established in early 2010 to raise funds and awareness, and to contribute towards a number of important national intervention strategies to secure wild rhino populations, forever.

Since, WESSA has done work across many of the major rhino populated provinces. A particular focus area is in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces (Kruger National Park complex) which, when combined, houses the majority of the world’s rhinos.

"Poachers operate freely over the landscape and are not inhibited by protected areas, provincial or international boundaries. Therefore stakeholder coordination is vital. Without improved communication, stronger support networks and an integrated approach across traditional boundaries, the war against poaching will never be won," Galliers says.

These 7 Anti-rhino poaching interventions were implemented over the past year:

Engagements have taken place with international communities – these include Western governments as well as the former president of Mozambique, Joaquim Chissano and his foundation, the Chissano Foundation.
Over 2000 copies of the special Rhino issue of EnviroKids Magazines were handed out to children in South Africa, Swaziland and Mozambique. The magazine is both an educational teaching aid and a valuable tool to help sensitise children to the value of rhinos and what is happening on the ground to this charismatic species. WESSA believes that educating the youth, especially those in close proximity to the poaching hotspots, is a critical component of a multi-pronged approach. WESSA is grateful to Kingsley Holgate for his support in distributing the magazine to a huge number of schools.
The piloting of a number of rhino tracking devices was initiated to assist in increasing the effectiveness of anti-poaching efforts. These include satellite tracking ankle collars for rhinos which are under threat. The aim is to get accurate information on the preferred areas of the rhinos’ habitat which will allow for more effective deployment of rangers.
WESSA sponsored a critical skill training course for 12 rangers in Zululand which focused on tactical tracking training.
They contributed to information gathering around the Kruger National Park which led to a number of successful arrests of suspected rhino poachers.
A Wildlife Crime and Information Mapping workshop for reserve managers, was conducted in the Lowveld.
WESSA provided over 40 DNA kits to rhino owners for registering their rhino onto the Rhino DNA database system (RhoDIS). The purpose of RhoDIS is for as many of South Africa’s wild rhino population (private and public) to be registered for assisting in prosecutions and the genetic management of the metapopulation.

The WESSA Awards, which have been presented since 1974, enable WESSA to recognise and honour those who have made a significant contribution to the environmental conservation or environmental education sector in South Africa over the past year in an exceptional and sustained manner.

The awards, and emphasis on southern Africa's rhino population comes ahead of the upcoming 17th Conference of the Parties at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, or CITES, set to take place in Johannesburg from 24 September to 5 October this year at the Sandton Convention Centre.

Ahead of the globally significant conservation convention, SA's Minister of Environmental Affairs Edna Molewa highlighted ways in which SA's rhinos have been protected in the past year through aggressive and inclusive conservation efforts.

Molewa released a statement reporting on the progress in the implementation of the Integrated Strategic Management of Rhinoceros, saying while the rhinos' are being spared more, the fight to save their lives is becoming more and more intense.

[Flutterby]

Zwelithini urges Zulu people to protect rhinos

2016-09-25 06:03
Paddy Harper

Durban - King Goodwill Zwelithini called on Zulu people to defend the province’s natural resources, including rhinos.

A poaching onslaught has claimed 117 rhinos in the province so far this year.

“[You] be the police to defend the rhinos. Be the last line of defence against this scourge of rhino killing. I urge you,” the king told a gathering.

He was addressing the Umkhosi Welembe, a cultural festival held in Durban, yesterday. The event is normally held at Stanger (KwaDukuza), the seat of King Shaka’s throne. This year it was held at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium to mark 45 years of King Zwelithini’s rule and to commemorate the passing of 200 years since the amalgamation of a series of clans into the Zulu nation.

“As I am talking to you, six rhinos have been killed this month alone. The killing of rhinos is ... a shame. This is your treasure, your legacy that you are destroying. Please defend your animals,’’ the king said.

Turning to the ongoing student protests, he said students should not burn their campuses as they were destroying their means of advancing in life. He urged students to honour the nation by acting in a way befitting future leaders.

President Jacob Zuma, who also spoke at the event, called for the reviving of customs based on respect, and he also stressed the preservation of heritage.

[Richprins]

I'm sorry, but both these clowns are saying and doing too little too late. One probably wants to sell rhinos for profit and the other to eat them...

[Richprins]

Now easier for rangers to reach hot-spots in Kruger
New extreme terrain vehicles can improve rangers’ reaction time and make their work easier.These vehicles will shorten response times.
8 hours ago


SKUKUZA – SANParks Honorary Rangers have donated two extreme-terrain vehicles (ETVs) and additional field equipment valued at over R2 million to SANParks in an effort to increase the clout of anti-rhino poaching units in the Kruger National Park (KNP).

The John Deere Gator ETVs will be used by the park’s environmental crime- investigations unit to reach these scenes quickly where rhinos have been poached and to access difficult terrain in their hunt for poachers.

The cost of the Gators was about R700 000, while the equipment is valued at R1,6 million – consisting of tents, rifle slings, sleeping bags, camping equipment, rifle-cleaning kits, backpacks and various other essential items. These were handed over for the rangers’ clandestine anti-poaching operations.

Mr John Turner, chairman of the Conservation Services Unit of SANParks Honorary Rangers, who facilitated the supply of the equipment, said the war against poachers was “basically a para-military operation these days” and without the equipment the anti-poaching units cannot operate”.

Turner thanked Lasher Tools that, in the past three years, has donated R2 million towards the effort to fight poachers. He said without Lasher’s “exceptional generosity” this supply of essential equipment would not have been possible. He also thanked Rhino Tears Wines, that contributed R830 000 to the cause.

The Gator ETVs would also be used to enable the swift completion of post-mortems on rhino carcasses, as well as for patrolling by section rangers and the K9 unit to access difficult terrain that poachers use to evade capture.
Section ranger Mr Marius Renke said they were “very thankful” for the addition of the John Deere Gator to their “toolbox”.

It is especially handy when spoors had been noted in a detection zone. Usually field-ranger teams are deployed to try and pick up the spoors further along the direction of movement. If it is seen, the team that has been following the tracks initially, is fetched from the management block – sometimes far away from roads – using the Gator. The team therefore, does not have to walk all the way which saves a great deal of time and energy.

“It also helps us to gain ground on the poachers according to the ‘leap-frog’ principle,” said Renke. “In summer the tracking dogs get tired and overheat quickly, but by using the Gator the dogs can be picked up from wherever they are in the middle of the bush and moved to where the freshest tracks are. The dogs can rest and rehydrate on the Gator. Once again, valuable ground is gained on suspects,” Renke concluded.

* Read more about anti-poaching strategies changing in KNP: http://lowvelder.co.za/353726/anti-poac ... er-in-knp/

http://lowvelder.co.za/358243/now-easie ... in-kruger/

[Richprins]

Media Release: Launch of the Postcode Meerkat Surveillance System in the Kruger National Park

08 December 2016

A wide area surveillance system, known as the Postcode Meerkat, was launched in Kruger National Park (KNP) last night (7 December 2016). South African National Parks (SANParks), Peace Parks Foundation and South Africa’s Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) have partnered to research, develop and manufacture this innovative system. The Postcode Meerkat comprises a suite of radar and electro-optic sensors that will detect, classify, monitor and track humans moving in the park over a wide area. In addition, the system has been designed to be mobile so that it can be rapidly deployed to prevent poaching crisis zones from developing.

This is the first time that this kind of technology is being applied in a counter poaching role in a bushveld environment, which makes the system unique. Smart thinking in its development allows it to differentiate between humans and animals, while its application will guarantee early warning and rapid response capabilities. This will augment ranger reaction times, allow for better preparation and support the proactive apprehension of poachers, which could save the lives of both humans and animals. It also has the future potential to be used in a conservation role, for example to better understand animal behaviour.

The Postcode Meerkat will significantly increase KNP’s ability to protect rhino and other vulnerable species. It will enhance the capacity to combat wildlife crime, along with the many other systems already put in place, such as improved ranger skills and support, increased aerial and ground mobility, gate access control and zones with increased wildlife protection.

Apart from developing and manufacturing the system, the CSIR will also provide on-going technical and administrative support to KNP.

Funding for the development and deployment of the Postcode Meerkat was secured by Peace Parks Foundation from the People’s Postcode Lottery of the UK, made possible thanks to the lottery players. Funding the Postcode Meerkat is the People’s Postcode Lottery’s first-ever support of a project in KNP and to be commended.

Note to Editors:

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) - http://www.csir.co.za/

The CSIR in South Africa is one of the leading scientific and technology research, development and implementation organisations in Africa. It undertakes directed and multidisciplinary research, technological innovation and industrial and scientific development to improve the quality of life of the country’s people.

Peace Parks Foundation – www.peaceparks.org

Peace Parks Foundation facilitates the establishment of transfrontier conservation areas and develops human resources, thereby supporting sustainable economic development, the conservation of biodiversity and regional peace and stability. Since 2013, the Foundation has been working closely with the South African Department of Environmental Affairs and its conservation management authorities, SANParks and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, to initiate detailed projects as part of the multifaceted Rhino Protection Programme.

People’s Postcode Lottery - https://www.postcodelottery.co.uk/

People’s Postcode Lottery is a charity lottery. Participants play with their postcodes to win cash prizes, while raising money for charities and good causes across Great Britain and globally. A minimum of 30% goes directly to charities and players have raised £154.8 Million for good causes. It is part of Novamedia, the world’s third largest private charity donor that has collected €6.6 billion for charity since its inception 25 years ago.






Issued jointly by:
SANParks Corporate Communications/KNP and the Peace Parks Foundation (PPF)
Tel: 012 426 5170

Media Enquiries:
Ike Phaahla
Media Specialist, SANParks
Tel: 012 426 5315; Cell: 083 673 6974
Email: Isaac.phaahla@sanparks.org

[Lisbeth]

Sounds astounding!

I hope that it will work. How large is the monitoring area?