Rhinos will never be ‘safe’

Carcass of a female rhino believed to be 40-years-old was discovered

WHEN former Pretoria News, sister paper of the Cape Times, chief photographer Patricia Hagen took her children to Rietvlei Nature Reserve on Friday, it was to see if they could spot the cheetah Kiara and her three cubs, which have drawn much attention on social media.

Instead a line of police cars and a posse in the veld drew her eyes to the killing site of one of the reserve’s oldest residents, a rhino affectionately know as Ma Koei.

The City of Tshwane, under whom the reserve falls, confirmed that the carcass of the female rhino believed to be over 40-years-old was discovered on Friday by the personnel in the reserve.

It is believed that the rhino had been shot and killed about three to four days earlier.

Agriculture and Environment Management MMC Michael Mkhari said it appeared that the poachers had been unaware that the rhino did not have a horn as it, and other rhino in Rietvlei are de-horned.

He said the incident had been reported to the SAPS and investigations with the assistance of a veterinarian and officials from the Department of Agriculture and Rural development were under way.

A case of malicious damage to property and discharge of a firearm is also being investigated by the Lyttelton police for an earlier incident where a different rhino was shot at the reserve on July 1.

“The rhino was found limping and upon close examination it was discovered that it was shot and wounded in a possible poaching attempt.” The rhino survived. Rietvlei, a unique reserve within the borders of a city, is much loved for its easy access to game.

The city management de-horns the rhino in the reserve, with the last round done just a few months back.

Friends of the reserve on social media were asking for identifying photos of the rhino to check on them while others expressed concern. Hagen and her children were shattered by what they saw she said in a heartfelt Facebook post.

“My depression deepens when contemplating rhino’s chance of survival and the knowledge that they will never be safe, no matter what.”

Hagen, a respected animal photographer, said she would be thankful for every single rhino that she manages to see and photograph.

Mkhari said the city was dismayed that Rietvlei was being targeted again despite the city’s efforts to prevent poaching by de-horning the endangered animals.

No arrests have been made, but the city has beefed up security measures at the reserve. It does however remain open to the public.

In May last year the reserve was closed to the public, following the slaughter and dehorning of two of its rhino by poachers, one of which was pregnant at the time.

In October 2013, five heavily-armed suspected rhino poachers were arrested just as they were about to enter the reserve. Three years before that, two rhinos were killed by poachers.

Recently however it had been felt the rhino were not under threat, and when a rhino cow was not seen for a period, it turned out to be because she had delivered a calf. The rhino were often photographed by visitors to the reserve.

Although official statistics from the Department of Enivronmental Affairs regarding rhino mortalities nationally have not been updated this year, the Stop Rhino Poaching website listed the number being at 483 as of last month, as announced in the National Assembly.

The total number for rhinos poached last year stood at 1 054, slightly less than in 2015 where 1 175 rhinos were reportedly poached.