Counter Poaching Efforts

[Toko]

Ballistic tanks place rogue rangers in the sights

Ballistic tanks place rogue rangers in the sight

Are serving Ezemvelo field rangers directly involved in rhino poaching? That question may soon be answered as investigators wrap up ballistic testing of weapons issued to rangers at all Ezemvelo KZN (EKZN) Wildlife game parks, as well as at a number of private game reserves. Over the past month, all rangers’ weapons have been fired and will be checked against bullets found at KZN poaching scenes. The Richards Bay Organised Crime Unit (OCU) has undertaken the testing, using two custom-built ballistic tanks. The water-filled tanks allow bullets fired into them to be recoverd undamaged. This enables accurate testing of bullet scoring against the rifle barrel markings.

The tanks were supplied earlier this year by the Zululand Branch of the KZN Hunting Conservation, who were approached by the Zululand Observer to assist the OCU. Previously, the OCU had to send firearms to Pretoria for testing with results taking several months. Now the OCU is able to do its own firearms testing using the portable tanks at the scene of crimes. Bullet heads from tests can now be sent to a laboratory for speedier verification. It is not known when the results of the Ezemvelo tests will be made public.

Staff issues But while the testing may help to flush out any rogue rangers, insiders say the shortage of essential staff at all levels is another significant safety issue still to be properly addressed. ‘This includes empty posts directly linked to anti-rhino poaching security, including 12 Senior field rangers at EKZN Wildlife parks,’ a source told the Zululand Observer. ‘This includes HluhluweiMfolozi, Ndumo and Mkuze.‘The announcement last week of the re-deploying of 12 untrained rangers from the Drakensberg to HiP, totally unqualified to work in this vastly different terrain, will not help much to curb rhino horn poaching. ‘And nothing is being said about the 40 to 50 posts that have remained unfilled for a number of years. ‘Until these staff issues have been settled, the problem will remain.’

[blueeyes]

[Lisbeth]

They had decided to employ a group of expert rangers/managers of the past, has this been done?

[Sprocky]

2012-10-29 10:33

Johannesburg - The KwaZulu-Natal nature conservation services (Ezemvelo) wants to enlist the help of the defence force to put a stop to rhino poaching in the province, Beeld reported on Monday.

Spokesperson Musa Mntambo said Ezemvelo was caught off-guard earlier this year by a spike in rhino poaching.

By the middle of October 2012, 55 rhino had been poached, compared to 34 in 2011 and 38 in 2010.

After the Kruger Park's loss of 272 rhinos for the year, KwaZulu-Natal has the highest poaching figures.

An internal Ezemvelo inquiry into the discovery of seven rhino carcasses at the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi reserve on September 22, recommended that specialist units be deployed to allow a wider area to be patrolled.

Mntambo said Ezemvolo's anti-poaching unit had only 60 members to guard all the reserves in the province, and that around 200 were needed to provide one member per 1 000ha.

A field guide and a member of the anti-poaching unit were fired after the internal inquiry.


- SAPA

[Lisbeth]

2012-10-29 10:33
Mntambo said Ezemvolo's anti-poaching unit had only 60 members to guard all the reserves in the province, and that around 200 were needed to provide one member per 1 000ha.

A field guide and a member of the anti-poaching unit were fired after the internal inquiry.
- SAPA

...and now there are two less instead of the 140 needed

[Richprins]

Fired but not arrested?

[Lisbeth]

No proof, probably only suspects??

[Flutterby]

DA: Rhino Poaching - Why Are the SAPS Personnel Leaving the Kruger Park?

The DA has been informed by a high ranking source in the SAPS that the decision will be formalised at a meeting of the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) today.

Just seen a police spokesman on E News flatly denying that the SAPS is leaving Kruger!?

[lowveldboy]

Get a few hairsalons involved - have had good feedback when approaching them!

[lowveldboy]

The gates to stupidville was left open again!