Cape Town – Three white rhino were found dead on the Tyityaba private game reserve near East London in a poaching attack that may involve professional hunters and the use of helicopters as spotters.
A fourth rhino was wounded and has been treated, but it is not known if it will survive. It is estimated the animals were shot about two weeks ago.
The Green Scorpions and the Hawks were on site yesterday using metal detectors to locate the bullets. All four rhino were shot behind the shoulder, to get a heart shot.
Reserve owner Elvin Krull said yesterday one rhino had been shot twice.
“Their horns had been hacked off – an axe or a panga – their whole heads had been mutilated because they went for the small horn as well. You need a heavy-calibre rifle to shoot a rhino. They need to get the bullets, that’ll be proof of what they used,” Krull said.
This incident comes after a further two rhino were shot dead on the reserve in November. “At that time we got a tip-off that two white men were seen climbing over the fence with a gun. They were in a white double-cab. These poaching syndicates don’t do the killing. They get some stooge to do it for them, probably a young professional hunter who they pay half-a-million,” Krull said.
The reserve is 20 000ha and heavily bushed. Krull said they saw helicopters hovering over parts of the reserve from time to time. It was possible they were searching for rhino, working with the poachers.
“The chopper can locate the rhino in the bush and with a GPS give the co-ordinates to the guy on the ground, and he can go right to the spot and shoot. They don’t leave the vehicle there, they get dropped off. With cellphones it’s all easy.”
The first rhino poached was about three years ago. Krull said the smell of its decaying carcass had led them to the rhino. The dead animal’s calf was still hanging around, almost dead from starvation. It died soon afterwards.
The recent deaths bring the total number of rhino poached on Tyityaba to seven.
Krull strongly believes the rhino horn trade should be legalised. “Flood the market, bring the price down. When you could still sell rhino horn, there were hardly any rhino poached. Now it’s over 1 000 in one year. If we don’t start selling horn, this poaching will continue until there are no rhino left,” Krull said.
Sapa reports that the Eastern Cape Green Scorpions had been called in to investigate.
“We’re investigating and the Hawks are on site,” said director Div de Villiers.