WHILE the police’s ‘big brass’ were urging the communities surrounding the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park (HiP) to become involved in the fight against rhino poaching at a community meeting in Hluhluwe on Thursday, the reality of the rhino war was unfolding barely 5km away.
An operation to recover the bodies of three poachers killed in a gunfight with rangers was underway.
The drama started on Wednesday when rangers patrolling in the southern section of the wilderness area of the park engaged with the poachers.
Shots were fired and all three were killed.
The poachers were found to have firearms, bush knives and an axe.
Owing to the terrain and rainy conditions, the bodies could not be recovered on Wednesday.
Early on Thursday morning the help of the SA Air Force was called in to assist.
A three-hour operation was launched from the ZAP-Wing base in Hluhluwe with members of the SAPS Dog Unit, Search and Rescue and IPSS Medical Assistance airlifting the bodies to the Forensic Pathology Unit waiting on the perimeter of the reserve.
Rhino poaching has been on the increase in the northern KZN reserve‚ with 21 killed in September.
Seven rhino, of which six were found dead on Wednesday, 22 September on World Rhino Day, were killed in one week.
By the end of last week‚ 115 rhino had been slaughtered in KZN since the beginning of the year.
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