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JOHANNESBURG. — South Africa arrested eight suspected poachers and seized heavy-calibre hunting rifles and ammunition, said South African National Parks (SANParks) on Tuesday.
Glenn Phillips, the managing executive of Kruger National Park (KNP), said the poachers were captured on Monday in different parts of the park, along with various poaching-related equipment.
“KNP continues to experience a number of incursions and many other poaching-related activities on a daily basis. Our dedicated and committed anti-poaching teams, who are our ears and eyes in the bush are always out there to quickly respond,” said Phillips.
“Wildlife crime should not be tolerated and needs to be stopped. We call upon poachers to weigh the risks of getting caught and we assure them that the gap is closing in on them,” he added.
South Africa has seen a decrease in the number of rhinos poached since the beginning of this year, according to South Africa’s Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) in September.
From January 1 to August 31 this year, 508 rhinos were poached nationwide, compared with 691 for the same period in 2017, the DEA said in its latest update on the implementation of the Integrated Strategic Management of Rhinoceros.
Nearly all provinces experienced dramatic declines in the number of rhinos. The KNP, which bears the brunt of rhino poaching, also reported a decline.
In the eight-month period, the park lost 292 rhinos due to poaching, compared with 332 in the same period last year. – Xinhua
Online Reporter