Prince Harry up close and personal with the reality of rhino poaching
The scene consisted of two poached animals - a white rhino cow and her bull calf, estimated to have been about two years old. The carcasses lay about 200 metres apart
SKUKUZA – Although Prince Harry’s visit to South Africa this week was actually more of a public-relations exercise, he showed genuine concern as he came face to face with the brutality of the slaughter in the Kruger National Park (KNP).
He visited the iconic park earlier this year as part of a private trip to Africa and spent several days with rangers and other role players in SANParks’ anti-poaching operations.
This week’s visit to Kruger was on order of the British government, with the aim of experiencing the rangers’ work and witnessing first-hand the extent of poaching.
During his previous visit to Kruger, he was shown in detail how anti-poaching operations were planned and executed.
Also read: Prince Harry of Wales arrived in the Kruger National Park earlier today
“He never took part in combat, but attended a two-day avionic workshop in Hoedspruit,” Maj Gen (ret) Johan Jooste, who heads SANParks’ anti-poaching operations, told Lowvelder.
“He obviously has great knowledge of military procedures and operations. I really experienced him as genuine. He attentively listened and actively partook in the discussions,” Jooste said. “Our engagement was actually quite informal and very open. He seems very interested and is easy to get along with,” he added.
Selected media of South Africa and overseas waited at Skukuza Airport on Tuesday afternoon, awaiting the prince’s arrival. He finally landed at about 16:00 and was met by Jooste, SANParks CEO Mr Fundisile Mtekeni and KNP managing executive, Mr Glenn Phillips.
He was taken to the Mission Area Joint Operational Centre where Jooste and Mr Otch Otto briefed him on all measures in place to curb poaching.
It was here that Phillips revealed that the 20th carcass of a poached elephant had been discovered since the beginning of 2015. The find was made two days earlier. He said that was evident to Jooste’s statement that poachers were an evolving threat as they adapted their methods.
“We don’t have modern poachers in terms of weaponry, but they adapt their methods and where and how they enter the park, continuously,” Jooste said.
Also read: Elephant poaching flares up in Kruger
The prince motivated them, saying, “Don’t give up. It is taking time, but things are happening.”
After this, he was privileged enough to meet Killer, a tracking dog that recently made judicial history when his “testimony” was allowed as evidence in court and ultimately secured the conviction and hefty sentencing of a poacher. Killer’s handler, who may not be identified for security reasons, smiled from ear to ear. He can hardly speak English and regional ranger, Mr Bruce Leslie, translated that he was very happy to have met the prince.
Early Wednesday morning Prince Harry was flown to a rhino-poaching scene in the Nwanetsi area.
The scene comprised two poached animals – a white rhino cow and her bull calf, estimated to have been about two years old. The carcasses lay about 200 metres apart. Park officials showed him how rhino-poaching scenes were being assessed and how they searched for possible clues.
The prince said poaching had become a waste of a valuable resource and that justice should prevail. He added that it wasn’t nice to see. He also sympathised with the crime-scene investigators, saying that he could only imagine how they must have felt,” Jooste added. “He also hugged the female rangers to encourage them.”
