Three suspected rhino poachers were arrested in the Kruger National Park during another successful operation on Wednesday, 21 April.
South African National Parks (SANParks) rangers followed the tracks of three individuals during the early hours of the morning in the Crocodile Bridge section and recovered a high calibre hunting rifle, ammunition and poaching equipment.
After rangers recovered the equipment, they called in the Airwing Unit and more ground team support.
One suspect was arrested shortly thereafter and the other two were apprehended in the late afternoon after rangers kept on their tracks.
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“Yesterday was another long day in the field for our anti-poaching teams in difficult conditions but they displayed tenacity and excellent team work. We congratulate all who were involved. The arrests bring the number of those arrested in the past five days to eight,” SANParks said in a statement.
“In this time three rifles, ammunition and hunting equipment were seized boosting the morale of the Rangers, Aviators and K9 Unit in the battle to protect and conserve rhinos in the KNP which has borne the brunt of attack from international rhino poaching syndicates”.
The suspects are due to appear in court soon.
In another incident on Saturday, 17 April a suspected poacher who tried to escape field rangers, was trampled to death by breeding elephants in the Kruger National Park. SANParks said they arrested one accomplice, another managed to evade them and the third ran straight into a a herd of elephants and was killed.
