The killings of rhinos has increased over the last decade, peaking in 2014 with over 1,200 rhinos being killed for their horns. And while numbers have gone down the last few years, the problem is still at epidemic levels. The BBC reports that two, possibly three, bodies were found on a South African wildlife preserve, having been eaten by lions. According to the report “a high-powered rifle and an axe were also found.” The owner of the Sibuya Game Reserve Nick Fox, wrote this on the reserve’s Facebook page.
One of our anti-poaching dogs alerted her handler at about 4.30 am Monday morning that something was amiss. At the same time the handler heard a loud commotion coming from the lions so he suspected that this was what had alerted her and was not concerned. It is not unusual to hear them at night. However, it now appears likely that the dog had been alerted by something else out of the ordinary coming from the lions.
At about 4.30 pm on Tuesday 3rd July one of our field guides on game drive alerted the Anti-Poaching Unit that there appeared to be human remains as well as other items in the immediate vicinity of the lions. I was immediately called to the scene where along with the APU we found the high powered rifle, gloves, wire cutters and the remains of a back pack with food, water and other supplies. We immediately alerted the Indalo (Association of Eastern Cape Game Reserves) Anti-Poaching Cluster and the Police.
Clearly, the poachers had walked into a pride of six lions and some, if not all had been killed.
People poach out of desperation. Carrying guns and sicking dogs on people will not fix the long term inequalities that lead to the destructive abuses of our planet. But, also, don’t poach rhinos. It’s bad.