The carcases of six more rhino have been found in KwaZulu-Natal’s flagship Hluhluwe-Imfolozi wildlife reserve, slaughtered illegally for their horns.
The discovery was made early yesterday, coinciding with the full moon that allows poachers to enter reserves at night to reduce the risk of getting caught or being seen by spotter aircraft.
The latest grim find brings the number of rhino killed in South Africa this year to 749 already, compared with 1 215 for the whole of last year.
Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife spokesman Musa Mntambo confirmed that the carcases of four rhino had been found in close proximity, with two others killed in a separate poaching episode.
Ezemvelo said last night that some of the rhino were poached not far from the Memorial Gate road and others were poached not far from Corridor Road. It was believed that different syndicates were involved.
The latest killings bring the total number of rhinos killed in the province this year to 86,
Just more than 700 rhinos had been killed by this time last year, suggesting that South Africa is likely to set another bloody record in 2015, eclipsing the record 1 215 rhino butchered illegally last year.
Since poaching levels soared sharply in 2008, more than 4 600 rhinos have been killed across the country.
Ezemvelo has not made any arrests so far, following the six most recent deaths.
Some sources have suggested that there could be links to a poaching syndicate associated with former Ezemvelo game guard Bheki Msweli, who was shot and killed in the Thanda private reserve near Hluhluwe last week.
Msweli allegedly raised his firearm to shoot after being challenged by anti-poaching units.
Several years ago, the former game guard raised eyebrows among his colleagues while driving around in a BMW sports car.
He was transferred from the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi reserve a few years ago along with three colleagues suspected to be linked with rhino poaching in the park.
Last month national Environment Minister Edna Molewa said that in the Kruger National Park, there were about 12 active poacher groups at any given time somewhere in the 2 million hectare park.