Anti-poaching operations in the Kruger National Park (KNP) have resulted in the death of one suspected wildlife criminal.
The park is still recovering from January’s devastating floods that caused damage to infrastructure that may require millions to repair.
Those involved in wildlife conservation at the park had warned earlier this week that human beings posed a greater danger to animals than any adverse weather systems.
High-calibre rifle recovered
South African National Parks (SANParks) stated on Saturday that two anti-poaching operations were conducted in the park over the last week.
Rangers confiscated a high-calibre rifle on Thursday from suspected poachers near the Malelane section of the KNP, although no arrests were made.
On Friday, rangers encountered a second group of suspected poachers in the Stolznek section of the park, which resulted in a violent exchange.
“One suspect was fatally wounded during the confrontation. The two incidents have been handed over to the South African Police Service,” confirmed SANParks spokesperson JP Louw.
“The fight against poaching remains a priority, and SANParks will continue to intensify operations to ensure the survival of rhinos for future generations,” he added.
Human dangers
Louw stated that the incidents highlighted the dangers faced by rangers and demonstrated the effectiveness of regular patrols.
While visitors are returning to most parts of the park, conservation teams are always alert to how human beings can exploit a situation.
Snaring is a recuring problem, with SANParks’ Honorary Rangers previously saying they had removed over 1 000 snares in a three-month period.
Damaged roads allow for poachers on foot to roam parts of the park that would generally be monitored by authorities.
“There is a potential for there to be increased poaching or snaring because ranger teams can’t get into those areas. That’s more of a concern.
“The human induced causes of mortality in conservation are always going to outweigh any natural causes of mortality,” Contemplate Wild Species monitoring Manager Grant Beverley explained to The Citizen.
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