Counter Poaching Efforts

[Richprins]

Ja, everyone feeding at the trough now, too easy. But excellent work and congratulations to SP antipoaching. Efforts and informants and integrity by a part of the forces are paying off slowly but surely, a microcosm of the country.

The traitorous scum's time is running out!

[Lisbeth]

Optimist!.....but I really hope so

[Flutterby]

Another ranger shot! Although, maybe with so many of them being involved in poaching in might be hard to tell who's good and who's bad!

[Lisbeth]

Anti-poaching aided from the sky

Aerial support for KNP anti-poaching endeavours received a boost when, in celebration of World Rhino Day, MyPlanet Rhino Fund announced it would donate about R1,2 million to buy it a Foxbat A-22LS aircraft.



MBOMBELA – The administrators of the fund said in a statement last week that technology would improve aerial support for the anti-poaching unit. Aircraft form a critical component of anti-poaching efforts.
The MyPlanet Rhino Fund, created in 2011 through a partnership between MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet, the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) and local conservationist Braam Malherbe, has become one of the largest citizen-driven fund-raising initiatives for rhino conservation.
According to the fund administrators, more than 54 000 cardholders have raised R2,6 million for the MyPlanet Rhino Fund by using loyalty cards at participating partner stores in the past 12 months.
MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet cardholders simply make the MyPlanet Rhino Fund their beneficiary, and when swiping their cards, a contribution is made on their behalf.
Malherbe helped to establish the fund. “It is important that our supporter base grows and our fund-raising increases each year,” he said.
“Poaching cartels are sophisticated and well-resourced, and our conservation bodies must match this to be effective. We are grateful to our supporters and hope more South Africans who care about rhinos and the environment will come on board.”
“The scope of these rhino-conservation projects supported by South African consumers over the past year is incredible,” said Helene Brand, MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet CSI manager. “When you have enough people caring about rhinos, you can buy a brand-new modern aircraft in just one year of fund-raising.”

[Richprins]

Better equipped to counter poaching


SANDF Alpha Company in the KNP last week received new mobility packages for counter poaching which will increase operational reach and enhance effectiveness.
2 days ago

Mariana Balt



Skukuza – “Now we have no excuse not to get the job done,” Maj Mamatshewu Judas Motswane, SANDF Alpha Company commander in the Kruger National Park (KNP), said last week about their new mobility packages for counter poaching.
He compared the strategies against poaching that became possible now with “a great wall” since the equipment will increase operational reach and enhance operational effectiveness.

The company was the first to receive five newly adapted and equipped Land Cruisers, as well as a number of similarly adapted ambulances.

Soldiers previously struggled to cover the 167 kilometres of border between the KNP and Mozambique via foot patrols and ambushes, and are now better equipped to prevent incursions.
Lt Col Elaine van Staden, acting officer commanding Joint Tactical Headquarters in Mpumalanga, said that the SANDF was responsible for the safeguarding of the border, but with a secondary purpose of assisting the KNP and SAPS with counter-poaching activities in the park.


He emphasised that mobility in the area was important because of its vastness.
“We depend on technology and intelligence and these new mobility packages will enhance our operations. They will also enable us to react and respond quicker.”
Mpumalanga Joint Tactical Headquarters received 29 vehicles.
Lt Col Derick Moore explained how specific requirements advised by the CSIR, including the capability to carry extra water, weapons, food and at least five people in the rear, accommodating a safety cage, cost effectiveness and good ground clearance led them to the specific vehicle choice.
“The vehicles had to be suitable for patrol and transport, have market endurance for at least three years and be easily maintainable.”

One package consists of four different modules, a troop pack, a logistical module, a command-and-control module and field ambulance module.
The troop pack is a carrier vehicle able to transport half a section safely. The logistical vehicle offers tactical support and recovery and is able to carry extra water and diesel to support the three other vehicles in the package.
The command-and-control vehicle enables platoon and company commanders to conduct and control operations from a mobile, tactical command post and ensures versatility during operations over vast distances, as encountered in border safeguarding operations.
The field ambulance gives immediate lifesaving medical support in the tactical area. It can be deployed with a driver and two operational emergency care practitioners and casevac one lying and two sitting, or two lying patients.
Motswane’s company consists of three platoons, of which two are deployed at the border 24/7.
The KNP poses a unique environment where they work closely with SAPS and park rangers. All resources and intelligence are integrated, but each group also stays within their own mandates.

The mobility packages were introduced at the base through a demonstration which showed how a surveillance team which was detecting and apprehending poachers, called on the support of the other modules as well as the SAPS and the KNP rangers. A park helicopter dropped a canine team to follow one escaped poacher and a successful operation could be concluded.

https://lowvelder.co.za/415744/better-e ... -poaching/

[Lisbeth]

WATCH: US military veterans fighting rhino poachers in South Africa
2018-02-27 18:00 - Unathi Nkanjeni

US military veterans are putting their combat skills to good use, protecting rhinos from poachers in South Africa.

Veterans Empowered To Protect African Wildlife (VetPaw) founder Ryan Tate‚ a former Marine‚ came up with the idea after watching a documentary on poaching.

“I saw a rhino with its face cut off‚ how they tranquilised the animal and put it to sleep. I cried for a good five days and decided 'hey‚ there are more important things in life than making money'‚” says Tate.

With the rhino populations in South Africa always danger from poaching, VETPAW is a group of post 9/11 US veterans that hope to change that.

After watching the documentary, Tate formed an outfit which harnesses the skills of former US soldiers to train‚ assist and advise rangers in counter-poaching operations.

What's unique about these highly trained former soldiers is that they “run towards the sound of gunfire”‚ not away from it, says Tate.

Rhino Shield‚ an award-winning short documentary‚ shows the work these former soldiers are doing in South Africa.

“I don’t want to brag or anything but hopefully some of the most dangerous people on the planet are now protecting these animals that poachers are trying to get to,” says one of the team leaders in the documentary.

“When I returned to civilian life after the Marine Corps‚ I lost myself. I didn’t really know what I was here for‚” says Tate.

Tate joined the US military after 9/11 attack. Years later he was moved by the atrocities of elephant and rhino poaching‚ and the devastation it was having on East African communities.

Aware that many highly skilled US veterans were unemployed when they returned to 'life in a civilian setting'‚ Tate says he saw an opportunity for them to serve in a different capacity.

Watch the short documentary below:

https://vimeo.com/256374986
RHINO SHIELD - South Africa - Short Documentary Film from Billy Ward Photography on Vimeo.

[Richprins]

Ryan!

[Dindingwe]

Last week, I heard of an american company, called Databuoy that has designed a gunshot localization system. It is based on an acoustic sensor network that detects and locates the source of gunshots.

It is designed for cities but it could be interesting to see how it could be adapted to wild spaces. I guess it should be more efficient than camera traps as it can detect sounds everywhere in the surrounding areas, days and nights, and the alarm can be given in realtime. I have no idea how many sensors would be needed to cover the areas where poachers commit their crimes.

Another fundraising campaign for AW !!

[Lisbeth]

It sounds as something terribly expensive I wonder if it needs walls to reflect the sound? I am probably saying nonsense

I suppose that the routes of the poachers are more or less well known, but have they not started darting more than shooting?

[Richprins]

They have been used for many years there already, Dingwe!