Shock over alleged rhino poaching ring

A range of organisations has expressed shock and dismay at the arrests, says a Cape Times report. Those arrested in early-morning raids in Modimolle, Polokwane and Musina in Limpopo on Monday included the wife of one of the vets, and a game farmer and his wife. They have appeared in the Musina Magistrate's Court. According to national police spokesperson Vishnu Naidoo, the group has allegedly been linked to 'hundreds of rhino poaching incidents'. It is understood that the two veterinarians are well known in Modimolle and own an animal clinic and a wildlife venture that is involved in catching and transporting game. The Professional Hunters Association of SA (Phasa) said it was deeply disappointing that professional people who held trusted positions in society could allegedly be involved in such crime. The SA Veterinary Council said any veterinarian found guilty of disgracing the profession through improper conduct could be barred. Civil rights group AfriForum welcomed the arrests and called for harsh sentences if the group were found guilty. Full Cape Times report (subscription needed)

The 11 accused have been released on bail in the Musina Magistrate's Court. Game farmer Dawie Groenewald was released on R1m bail and his wife, Sariette, on R100 000 bail. Veterinarian Karel Toet received R50 000 bail while his wife, Mariza Toet, received R20 000 and his colleague, veterinarian Manie du Plessis, was released on R20 000. The other accused, professional hunter Tielman Roos Erasmus, Dewald Gouws, Nordus Rossouw, Leon van der Merwe and Jacobus Marthinus Pronk were released on R20 000 bail each while Paul Matoromela received R5 000 bail. A report in The Times says, their bail conditions included that they would not be allowed to tamper with 32 rhinos currently on Groenewald's game farm, Pragtig, in Musina. The case was postponed to 11 April. Full report in The Times

Forensic investigators are looking for more carcasses of white rhinos on a game farm near Musina, says a Cape Argus report. Authorities are trying to determine how many dead white rhinos are on the 4 000 ha farm named Pragtig, owned by rhino-poaching accused Dawie Groenewald. Police spokesperson Colonel Vishnu Naidoo said a multi-departmental team was working hard to arrest the remaining members of the alleged syndicate. The accused are facing numerous charges, including assault, fraud, corruption, malicious damage to property, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, and contravening the National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act. Full Cape Argus report (subscription needed)

Three men accused of poaching rhinos in the Kruger Park appeared in the White River Magistrate's Court earlier this week on charges of poaching, trespassing and illegal possession of firearms. According to a report in The Times, their case was postponed until today (Tuesday) and will be moved to the Skukuza Magistrate's Court. Leonard Mashego, Sifiso Sithole and Michael Sithole were arrested by rangers on patrol early on Sunday morning after a shootout in which Mashego was shot in an arm. He was taken to hospital and is still there under police guard. Full report in The Times

The World Wildlife Fund's Dr Joseph Okori said rhino poaching had increased steadily since 2006, particularly in Zimbabwe and SA. Zimbabwe lost 235 rhino to poachers last year, while SA lost 122. Kenya, however, lost only 10 rhino, and Zambia and Tanzania lost one each. According to a Business Day report Okori said poaching syndicates had targeted SA as a result of successful rhino conservation programmes. But SA had not anticipated that poachers would form sophisticated syndicates and had not instituted appropriate security, said Okori. SA's environmental laws were not intended to deal with syndicates, said Department of Environmental Affairs spokesperson Albi Modise. Full Business Day report

While Limpopo's rhino poaching case has the country up in arms, Eastern Cape conservationists are getting nervous about the safety of rhinos in their province. A report on the News24 site quotes Sybert Liebenberg, acting head of the EC Parks and Tourism Agency, as saying: 'In cases like this it's never just one syndicate that is operational.' But there have only been a few isolated cases of rhino poaching in the Eastern Cape so far. A highly effective network between rhino owners, the defence force, police, agencies and the provincial department of environmental affairs, also benefits the safety of rhinos in the Eastern Cape, Liebenberg added. Full report on the News24 site

Fourteen Irish 'immigrants' have arrived in SA to add their expertise to the fight against rhino poachers, says a report on the News24 site. These Labrador 'detectives' are the latest addition to the team of dogs belonging to Mechem, a division of Denel, which are trained to sniff out mainly rhino horns and ivory. The young Labradors are from Downpatrick, just north of Belfast. They were bred to be used as working dogs and have all the necessary characteristics to start working within about three months. The World Wildlife Fund and Mechem are now working together to get the dogs ready to use against poachers and smugglers in SA, Mozambique and Tanzania. Full report on the News24 site

Special investigators are closing in on at least three rhino poaching syndicates operating in SA, notes a Sunday Tribune report. An official close to the investigation said it was hoped that the members of a syndicate responsible for the death of a number of rhino in KwaZulu-Natal would be nabbed in the coming weeks. National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga said the priority crime status given to rhino poaching was because it was a 'threat to the economic stability of the country and it undermines the government's efforts to preserve the environment'. Full Sunday Tribune report (subscription needed)