In a pre-emptive bid to foil rhino poaching, police have called on the public to register as informers and to report suspicious, low-flying planes, helicopters and gliders seen above or near game reserves.Three rhinos have been slaughtered and dehorned since Christmas, one each in the areas of Cradock, Sunshine Coast and Bedford.
Last year’s rhino poaching toll in South Africa soared to 1175.
Grahamstown police spokes-woman Captain Mali Govender yesterday said the SAPS was appealing to the public to be extra vigilant and report suspicious activity around game farms following the latest rhino slaughter in the Eastern Cape last week.
“We are trying to be proactive. We want the community to be more vigilant,” she said.
Govender urged the public to pass on any information of suspicious activity around game reserves, no matter how frivolous it might appear. “We would rather check out any leads to try to prevent poaching. It does not matter what a person sees. We will follow it up.”
Govender said cars sighted or parked near reserves for prolonged periods of time, low-flying aeroplanes, helicopters or hang-gliders and people making inquiries about rhino populations and movements needed to be reported.
She declined to comment on the progress of police investigations into an incident at the end of last month at the five-star Oceana Beach and Wildlife Reserve.
“The Grahamstown Cluster SAPS is making an appeal to the community to be vigilant following the recent reports where rhinos have been killed by callous criminals,” she said.
Govender urged concerned public to register as police informers to try to save the rhino.
She said rewards would be given for positive information and it would be treated in the strictest confidence. — davidm@dispatch.co.za
Public urged to fight rhino poachers
Three rhinos have been slaughtered and dehorned since Christmas, one each in the areas of Cradock, Sunshine Coast and Bedford.
Last year’s rhino poaching toll in South Africa soared to 1175.
Grahamstown police spokes-woman Captain Mali Govender yesterday said the SAPS was appealing to the public to be extra vigilant and report suspicious activity around game farms following the latest rhino slaughter in the Eastern Cape last week.
“We are trying to be proactive. We want the community to be more vigilant,” she said.
Govender urged the public to pass on any information of suspicious activity around game reserves, no matter how frivolous it might appear. “We would rather check out any leads to try to prevent poaching. It does not matter what a person sees. We will follow it up.”
Govender said cars sighted or parked near reserves for prolonged periods of time, low-flying aeroplanes, helicopters or hang-gliders and people making inquiries about rhino populations and movements needed to be reported.
She declined to comment on the progress of police investigations into an incident at the end of last month at the five-star Oceana Beach and Wildlife Reserve.
“The Grahamstown Cluster SAPS is making an appeal to the community to be vigilant following the recent reports where rhinos have been killed by callous criminals,” she said.
Govender urged concerned public to register as police informers to try to save the rhino.
She said rewards would be given for positive information and it would be treated in the strictest confidence. — davidm@dispatch.co.za
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