According to the latest statistics released by the Department of Environmental Affairs, 588 rhinos have already been poached in South Africa this year. Out of this terrible total, 362 have been poached in Kruger National Park. According to a report on Tourism Update, the North West, KwaZulu Natal and Limpopo provinces continue to be the hardest hit by poachers, collectively accounting for the loss of 186 rhinos.
If you’re unaware of the staggering rate with which these poaching figures have escalated, consider our previous reports on rhino poaching. In June, 251 had been poached and in October this figure had risen to 455. A small beacon of hope is that two suspected poachers have been arrested in Kruger earlier this week. A total of 246 people have been arrested this year; 271 poachers, 18 couriers and 11 receivers.
The authorities are trying their best though. SANParks has announced the graduation of 30 new Armed Field Rangers in an effort to combat the scourge. The rangers completed a six-week course that is part of the Expanded Public Works Programme.
“The main reason for training the Field Rangers is to complement the parks existing staff for area integrity management in various national parks. They will be a support to conservation staff and perform duties that will enable SANParks field rangers to attend to critical functions such as law enforcement,” said Antoinette van Wyk, SANParks General Manager: Infrastructure & Special Projects, Parks Division.
The programme, which started in 2011, creates jobs for unemployed people from communities bordering national parks, while SANParks is gaining additional capacity to assist with vital conservation activities within these parks.
“The passing-out of these 30 Armed Field Rangers will step up the crime-fighting ability against poachers and give invaluable support to the men and women working on the ground,” said Van Wyk.
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