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UPDATE : April 10
SKUKUZA – Yet another two white rhino carcasses – that of a cow and her calf – were discovered in the Nwanetsi section of the Kruger National Park on Friday.
Journalists are currently in the park to learn more about this highly organised crime and were taken to the scene on Tuesday to see how post mortems were conducted to procure evidence.
It was an excruciating walk of 12 kilometres to the scenes and journalists got to experience first hand the challenges that rangers have to face every day in safeguarding the park.
The process of assessing the scenes for evidence and conducting post mortems were led by Mr Frik Rossouw, senior investigator of Environmental Crime Services.
It was an adult white rhino cow and her calf that had been poached and journalists were first taken to the scene where the carcass of the calf had been found.
By Tuesday, only bones were left as hyenas and vultures had feasted on the carcass. The scene was carefully assessed for possible tracks and scanned with a metal detector in the hope of finding cartridge casings.
Rossouw, after examing the bones, estimated the calf to have been about one and a half years old.
Journalists were then taken to the carcass of the cow about a kilometre away. Investigators came across the shell of a .458 bullet along the way.
Rossouw carefully looked at tracks on the ground and suspected that the cow was shot near the calf and ran to where she finally collapsed. Both her horns had been removed.
The carcass was scanned with the metal detector which indicated that there were still bullets lodged in the carcass.
Rossouw and his assistant, Mr Oupa Mzini, cut open the already badly decomposing flesh and retrieved two bullets – that of a .458 and .375 hunting rifles.
Rossouw said it was rare to find that a rhino had been shot with two different rifles. A piece of the rhino’s toenails were also cut off to use for DNA testing.
Journalists looked at Rossouw and his team in awe as they worked on the badly decomposing carcass of which the stench was almost unbearable. Representatives from media houses abroad asked Rossouw if one ever gets used to it, to which he replied “no”.
He has conducted 450 post mortems on rhino carcasses in the last six years.
Media from all over the world are currently in the Kruger National Park (KNP) to learn more about rhino poaching and the progress that has been made to date in combating this scourge.
The programme kicked off on Monday with Maj Genl Johan Jooste, head of anti-poaching operations in the park, showing journalists videos of a white rhino cow that was still alive after its horns had been hacked off and its face mutilated on Easter Sunday.
The footage was met with cries of horror and Jooste asked journalists to spare a thought for the rangers who had to witness this daily.
There are currently approximately 400 rangers who have to patrol the 20 000m² park, with a boundary of 952 kilometres. Jooste stressed the fact that a new era in park management was upon them and that it was important to clear the area of criminal elements from the outside.
It is a whole new ballgame for rangers who now have to deal with added stress, risk, exposure and career expectations as they combat rhino poaching – a crime of which the park was relatively free before 2008.
“This is actually not far removed from guerilla warfare,” said section ranger Mr Don English.
Journalists were then taken to the shooting range near Skukuza where rangers simulated a situation in which three poachers were spotted in the park after gunshots had been heard. The help of the SANParks helicopter and dog handlers was called in and a “suspect” successfully apprehended.
Journalists were also shown the kit that rangers are equipped with for their work in the field – which includes basics like high-protein food to night-vision equipment valued at R75 000.
On Tuesday the media representatives were taken to Nwanetsi where a post mortem was performed on a white rhino cow that had been poached last week (see report elsewhere).
The following day, journalists were taken to the border at Massingir Dam where they could get footage of neighbouring Mozambican communities. They were meant to go into the neighbouring country, but the head of ourism there, Dr Bartolomeu Soto, sent an SMS to Mr William Mabasa, spokesman for the KNP, saying that he did not support the planned visit.
It was then decided to not go through the border for the sake of everyone’s safety.
The tour was expected to end late Thursday afternoon, with helicopter flights over the park and more walks to rhino carcasses in the Houtboschrand section of the park.
See a gallery of photos here.
Earlier articles:
SKUKUZA – Lowvelder is currently on a media tour in the Kruger National Park where the effects of rhino poaching in this iconic park is being highlighted.
Major general Johan Jooste started proceedings by showing the video below of a mutilated white rhino cow that was still alive after its horns were hacked off on Easter Sunday.
It was met with horrified cries by the audience who include journalists from CNN and Sky News.
Read more about recent poaching incidents in the park and this rhino’s fate here.
More to follow on media tour on Looklocal Lowveld throughout the week.
Note: This video may upset sensitive viewers/users.
