Rhino poachers getting bolder, farmer warns

Rhino poachers are getting bolder.They no longer strike only during full moon but are even poaching during daylight.This is according to a disheartened farmer in the Okahandja district who caught two men red-handed on his farm last Tuesday with rhino horns in their possession.The farmer, who preferred not to be named, said over the past three weeks, rhino poachers have struck in three locations in the central area, poaching and injuring rhinos.In addition to a white rhino that was poached, he claimed that at the end of October, one white rhino was poached and two rhinos were injured in the Kalkfeld area, and two white rhinos were poached last weekend in the Windhoek area.On the Okahandja farmer’s property, one of the suspects, according to him, is notorious for causing trouble in Etosha National Park."One of the suspects we have now caught was released on bail in connection with three rhino poaching cases," the farmer claimed.Lack of action The search for rhino carcasses is still ongoing on the farm.During the arrest last week, the suspects were found with fresh horns and various poaching equipment.The farmer said, in his view, there is a lack of urgency regarding rhino poaching. “We caught the suspects. The inspector of the Blue Rhino Task Team doesn’t even answer his phone. We called the task force at 17:00, and they only arrived on the farm at 20:00," he claimed. According to Police Deputy Commissioner Barry de Klerk, head of the Blue Rhino task force, the incident was reported to him at 17:44, and he dispatched a team from Windhoek that arrived on the farm between 19:00 and 20:00.The case has been postponed until 5 February 2025, and the suspects remain in custody.“Rhino owners are closely watching how this case will be handled by the relevant authorities,” the farmer said.He said he believes there is no sense of urgency or cooperation from the government – not from the Namibian police, the environment ministry, nor the courts – in preventing or tackling rhino poaching.“We have a case from 2017 where we caught the suspects, and the rifle was positively identified as the one used to shoot the rhinos. At that time, more than a dozen black and white rhinos were shot on our property.”He said the suspects are still free on bail. “We are now dealing with nearly two dozen rhinos that have been shot and injured.”Drawing the lineThe farmer said he is ready to throw in the towel with rhino farming and his participation in the rhino conservation project (custodianship).“Since 2000, we have produced many black rhinos. We haven’t gained any benefit from it, but it was my contribution to rhino conservation.”In addition to the increasing number of poaching incidents, which are becoming more professional and cunning, drought is also placing pressure on farmers. Furthermore, dehorning rhinos is a significant expense, alongside the costs of anti-poaching efforts.“Whether rhinos are dehorned or not, they are being poached – not just during full moon, but in broad daylight.“If this continues, we’re done. We draw the line. The state can come and take their rhinos. If this continues, we will only see our rhinos in the zoo,” the farmer concluded.

Rhino poachers getting bolder, farmer warns

Comments

Namibian Sun 2025-05-02

Please login to leave a comment

Rhino poachers getting bolder, farmer warns

Comments

Namibian Sun 2025-05-02

Please login to leave a comment

Login