CAPE TOWN - The surviving female Inverdoorn Private Game Reserve rhino is being medically attended to as her carers assess her injuries and decide on the best way forward.
This, as four suspects arrested on poaching-related charges briefly appeared in the Ceres Magistrates’ court on Monday following the massacre last week of four rhino at the reserve located just outside of Cape Town.
The fifth rhino was shot in the face and found painfully injured but still alive.
Inverdoorn Private Game Reserve owner Searl Derman thanked police, Cape Nature, forensic investigator Wayne Stoltz – who was instrumental in solving the 2011 Aquila poaching incident - private investigators and polygraph team of TP Services, who have worked around the clock since the first notification of the incident on Wednesday night.
He said according to the senior vet, Dr Louis Greeff, the remaining rhino was "strong and they have inserted a drip".
They will now assess the injuries and decide on the best possible way forward.
“It’s traumatic to watch her drinking water and the water just pours out of her nasal cavity. She... (is) limping, but we have a lot of hope, we are praying that she makes it.”
“Thank you to the concerned public. Your messages are appreciated at a difficult time.”
Police spokesperson Colonel Andrè Traut said the four suspects, aged between 27 and 56, were arrested at the weekend.
“It is suspected that the suspects are responsible for the death of four rhinos and the injury caused to a fifth one on December 8 on a game reserve in Ceres. Two of the suspects are also facing charges relating to the Immigration Act.
“The investigation is still underway and the finer aspects thereof cannot be disclosed at this premature stage,” Traut said.
Derman said they were made aware of the arrests very shortly after the crime.
“Everyone continues to work day and night to solidify their case and to bring all the perpetrators to justice,” he said.
Cape Times