Rhino poaching figures rise

Rhino poaching figures rise

The number of poached rhino for the year has risen to 273, the environmental affairs department said on Tuesday.

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The number of poached rhino for the year has risen to 273, the environmental affairs department said on Tuesday. 
 
Spokesman Albi Modise said in a statement the Kruger National Park bore the brunt of poaching. 
 
Modise said three alleged poachers were arrested in the Tshokwane section of the park last week after a black rhino was killed. 
 
One of the men died in a local hospital after he was wounded in a shoot-out with park rangers. 
 
The rhino horns, as well as a .458 hunting rifle with a silencer, ammunition, and poaching equipment were confiscated from the men. 
 
Last Tuesday an alleged poacher was shot dead by rangers near the Langtoon dam in the park during a shoot-out. 
 
Two guns, ammunition, and poaching equipment were recovered.
 
The park's figures for the year had increased from 180 to 201 poached rhino over the past week. 
 
A total of 41 alleged poachers had been arrested in the Kruger since January.
 
Since the beginning of the year, the North West had a total of 21 rhino poached, while 19 were poached in KwaZulu-Natal, 19 in Limpopo, and 13 in Mpumalanga.

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