Elephant slaughter rates soaring

– Just two weeks after Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa announced the escalation of elephant poaching in the Kruger National Park, two more were killed for their ivory.

And as with rhino, the Kruger is bearing the brunt of the attack but there is a plan, said spokesperson Ike Phaahla.

“The translocation of people from the Limpopo National Park is ongoing, there is a firming up of relations between Mozambique, the private sector, South African National Parks, and the Kruger,” Phaahla said.

Strategies were being analysed.

“Every time poachers are arrested, as much intelligence as possible is obtained from them.

“It’s a work in progress. The increase in elephant poaching in Kruger was bound to happen, given they are almost extinct in Mozambique. In parts of Zimbabwe they are being slaughtered day and night,” said Phaahla.

SANParks was also working with bordering communities to identify poachers and had success with visitors to the park identifying potential poachers.

“There is light at the end of the tunnel,” Phaahla promised.

Cites reported last year estimated poaching rates remained higher than the growth rate of global elephant populations.

In SA, more elephants were poached in the first seven months of this year than in the whole of last year, setting a new grim record.