Troops help efforts to save black rhinos from poachers

CRITICALLY-ENDANGERED BLACK rhinos have been relocated with the assistance of British troops to help protect the animals against poaching in Africa.

Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles have recently returned home from a three-month counter-poaching deployment in Malawi, in southeastern Africa. Based in Liwonde National Park, near the Mozambique border, they worked with the African Parks conservation organisation to train current and new rangers, in a bid to help to crack down on the illegal wildlife trade by improving the effectiveness of patrols.

Towards the end of their mission, the Gurkhas helped with one of the largest international rhino translocations to date, offloading the 1.4-tonne animals which had travelled by air and road from KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa.

According to African Parks, the mission saw 17 black rhinos moved from South Africa to Malawi.

Major Jez England, officer commanding British Army Counter-Poaching Team in Liwonde said the operation had been “hugely successful”.

He added: “Not only do we share skills with the rangers, improving their efficiency and ability to patrol larger areas, but it also provides a unique opportunity for our soldiers to train in a challenging environment. Helping with the rhino move was a fitting end to our time in Malawi.”

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said the illegal wildlife trade is the fourth largest transnational crime behind drugs, arms and human trafficking and can have hugely destabilising consequences.