Pretoria - A suspected rhino poacher was shot and killed and another suspect arrested in Limpopo, police said on Monday.
Police spokesperson Colonel Ronel Otto said the incident took place on Saturday on a farm in the Cumberland area of the province when a worker who usually put out feeding for the rhinos spotted strange tracks in the area.
“Farmers in the area as well as members of the police and trackers gathered and started following the tracks of what is suspected to be four poachers.
“The tracks were followed for more than 24 hours and at some stage two private helicopters also assisted with the search,” explained Otto.
One of the suspects was spotted where he was sitting under a tree. The suspect, from Mozambique, died on the scene. Follow up investigations led to another arrest of a Zimbabwean, while two more suspects are still being traced.
“Police confiscated a 303 hunting rifle and ammunition, as well as an axe. The serial number of the fire-arm was filed off and the origin of the weapon is still being investigated,” said Otto.
The suspect is expected to appear at the Thabazimbi Magistrate's Court.
Since the beginning of the year, poachers have killed 367 rhino since. The Kruger National Park was the hardest hit, with 247 animals being killed. In the North West, 35 rhino have been poached, 33 in KwaZulu-Natal, 28 in Limpopo, 23 in Mpumalanga and one in Gauteng.
The number of people arrested in connection with poaching now stands at 114, as government and other partners have put in place several initiatives aimed specifically at curbing rhino poaching. - SAnews.gov.za
