Police investigate mysterious rhino killing
Keagisitswe Dioka | Thursday November 17, 2016 16:30
Speaking to Mmegi's Naledi in an interview, Maun Police Superintendent John Kelebeng, said the rhino was found dead on September 8, at Kurunxaranga in the NG30 Wildlife Management Area.
He said it was shocking to find the animal in its intact state without any ‘valuable’ parts removed. He however, could not rule out poaching activity and urged members of the public to assist with the information that could lead to the arrest of the culprits.
Kelebeng further said, the outcome of the investigations revealed that the shooting of the rhino, classified among the ‘Big Five’, could have been a deliberate act of poaching saying the culprits probably had an intention of dehorning it later.
The police chief also expressed his concern over the increasing poaching activities in his policing area.
Studies continue to show an increase in poaching activities in the Northwest district (Nhabe), where poachers target mainly elephants and rhinos.
In her advocacy efforts to lobby the public to be vigilant on poaching activities, #OneVoiveOneWorld Ambassador, Thea Khama said at a protest march in September 2016, that Botswana has joined the rest of the world in protests against illegal killings of endangered species among them elephants, rhinos and lions.
She also mentioned at the march that in the past seven years, 30% of Africa’s elephants have disappeared and by the end of 2015, the number of African rhinos killed by poachers had increased for the 6th year in a row, with at least 1338 rhinos killed by poachers across Africa in 2015.
Khama also urged Batswana to assist government in coming up with innovative strategies to fight poaching; saying eco-tourism initiatives are key to Botswana economy, post diamond mining sector decline.