South Africa: Local Rhino Poachers Shot Dead

12 January 2012

Maputo — Two Mozambicans, suspected of poaching rhinoceros, were shot dead on Wednesday night inside South Africa's Kruger National Park.

The two men, whose names have not been released, were killed in a shoot-out with game rangers, according to Reynold Thakhuli, the general manager of the Kruger Park, cited in the South African press.

It is suspected that the two Mozambicans were part of a gang responsible for the slaughter of eight rhinos last Tuesday. After finding the dehorned rhino carcasses, the rangers set out on the trail of the poachers.

On Wednesday they caught up with the two Mozambicans and an exchange of fire followed. It is suspected that the two were connected with the deaths of the eight rhinos because they were found in the same general area, in the southern end of the park.

Thakhuli said that a rifle and other hunting equipment were recovered from the bodies of the two men, but no rhino horns were found. An aerial search of the park was launched to see if any more rhinos were lost in this week's killing spree.

"South Africa National Parks (SANParks) regrets the deaths of the suspected poachers but would like to request the public to assist the police and SANParks with any information which may lead to the arrest of more would be poachers," Thakhuli said.

Since 2009, South Africa has lost 911 rhinos to poachers. These are the known deaths. Other rhino carcasses may have gone undiscovered.

There are five species of rhinoceros. The latest estimate is that between them these five species contain only 22,800 individuals, and 90 per cent of these are in South Africa. Three of the species, the Indian, Javan and Sumatran Rhinoceros, are critically endangered.

The African species are the black and white rhinos. Those killed in the Kruger Park were all southern white rhinos.

Rhino horn is in demand because of the widespread belief in Asia that it has medicinal qualities and can even cure cancer. In reality, the main component of rhino horn is keratin, the same protein that makes human hair and fingernails.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201201130328.html