Minister of Environmental Affairs Edna Molewa is expected to announce on Tuesday the removal of rhinos from the Kruger, taking them out of the poachers’ firing line.
SANParks officials were not informed of the decision.
Of the rhinos to be moved, 260 will be sold to private buyers and another 250 taken to a safe location.
The decision to move the animals comes against a background of increased poaching of rhinos in the Kruger. The Sunday Times has established that in July the Kruger Park lost 59 rhinos and another seven in the first five days of August.
A report to the SANParks board on March 26 said there had been an average escalation of 70% a year in rhino poaching. This added urgency to the decision to move some of the rhinos to ensure that the species did not become extinct. The report said that more anti-poaching efforts would not be enough to save the rhinos.
SANParks and the department are in favour of selling South Africa’s rhino horn stockpile, amounting to 20 tons and worth about R10-billion. It would help relieve the pressure on the rhino population.
Advanced Aviation Logistics has offered SANParks seven heavy-duty Russian helicopters – capable of moving three to four rhinos a day – to help with the evacuation of rhinos.
Source: timeslive