Rhino poachers on the back foot in Kruger
Success of antipoaching efforts will help to motivate CITES delegates meeting in SA this month, writes Edna Molewa
WITH just two weeks to go before South Africa hosts the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, there are promising signs that rhino poaching is on a downward trend in South Africa.
Latest figures covering the period between January and the end of August 2016 show there has been an 18% decrease in the number of rhinos poached in Kruger National Park compared to 2015. Since January, 458 rhinos have been poached in the park. During the same period last year the number was 557. Nationally, the number since January stands at 702 whereas it stood at 796 between January and July 2015.
Kruger has been hardest hit by the poaching and this decrease comes amid a 27.87% increase in incursions into the park — a staggering 2 115 for the first eight months of 2016.
Unfortunately, the success of our antipoaching efforts in the park appears to have led to syndicates shifting operations. The number of rhinos poached has increased in other provinces in comparison to this time last year, notably in KwaZulu-Natal, the Free State and the Northern Cape.
As the Department of Environmental Affairs stated in May, while victory cannot be claimed outright, this positive development should be welcomed.
The decline in poaching is attributable to the Integrated Strategic Management of Rhinoceros approach approved by the cabinet in 2014. This is the government’s multisectoral, interdisciplinary approach involving the departments of environmental affairs and justice, the South African National Defence Force, the South African Police Service, the State Security Agency, South African National Parks, the provincial conservation agencies and citizens in general.
Rhino poaching was declared a national priority crime in 2014 and receives the highest level of attention from the government.
The National Integrated Strategy to Combat Wildlife Trafficking, led by the police, is being finalised.
There has also been a significant increase in the number of arrests for poaching since January 2016. A total of 414 alleged poachers have been arrested countrywide, of which 177 were in the Kruger and 237 in the rest of the country. A total of 94 firearms were seized in the park.
These successes can be attributed to the work being done on the ground by our people, our law enforcement agencies and our rangers in particular. These combined efforts, with the support of international partners and donors, are making a dent in rhino poaching.
We should also congratulate customs and excise officials and the Green Scorpions. Last month, law agencies at OR Tambo International Airport arrested a Chinese national with 10 rhino horns, 84 ivory ornaments and 41 ivory bangles.
Training of border officials is ongoing, with a joint operation taking place at Cape Town International Airport as well as training at OR Tambo and the Oshoek border post.
Communities are the first line of defence for the animals in our parks, and they have a critical role to play.
The National Wildlife Information Management Unit, in partnership with People and Parks, is working to collate information from communities on poaching. Southern African Development Community officials continue to meet to implement the SADC Anti-Poaching Strategy.
South Africa and Mozambique have been working hand in hand to ensure that rhino poaching in Kruger, elsewhere in South Africa and in Mozambique is reduced.
There has been significant progress in measures implemented between South Africa and Mozambique with regard to relocating communities from the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.
In two weeks, hundreds of delegates will converge on South Africa to discuss the illicit trade in wildlife at COP17 CITES. These positive developments add impetus for us to share best practice on combating poaching and wildlife trafficking with our international partners.
Molewa is minister of environmental affairs