Poachers Kill More Rhinos as Coronavirus Halts Tourism to Africa

Story by Annie Roth | www.nytimes.com

Threatened and endangered animals may become additional casualties of the pandemic.

A two-month-old white rhino was placed in a Rhino 911 helicopter for rehabilitation in South Africa’s North West province on March 8.Credit...Nico Jacobs

The past few weeks have not been easy for Nico Jacobs, founder of Rhino 911, a nonprofit that provides emergency helicopter transport for rhinoceroses in need of rescue in South Africa. That’s because times are much worse for the rhinos.

Since South Africa announced a national lockdown on March 23 to limit the spread of the new coronavirus, Mr. Jacobs has had to respond to a rhino poaching incident nearly every day. On March 25, he rescued a 2-month-old white rhino calf whose mother had been killed by poachers. The next day he was called to rescue two black rhinos whose horns had been hacked off by poachers. When he finally tracked them down it was too late — both were dead.

“Just as soon as the lockdown hit South Africa, we started having an incursion almost every single day,” Mr. Jacobs said.

At least nine rhinos have been poached in South Africa’s North West province since the lockdown, he said, “and those are just the ones we know about.”

DNPW Ranger Killed by Elephant

The fight against poaching has lost a ranger (scout). His name was Edgar Mwanza from the Department of National Parks and Wildlife. He was killed by an elephant, while patrolling an airstrip.

We send our heartfelt condolences to his family and the DNPW for their loss.

Update: From what we know, the elephant was not killed for the death of the ranger.

March to Stop the killing of elephants in Botswana

On Feb 8th, 2020, Team Nsefu marched in solidarity in Balboa Park with other organizations around the world denouncing Botswana’s decision to sell permits to trophy hunters to kill 272 elephants to cull their elephant herds. Once the” beacon of hope” for wildlife conservation, Botswana’s dangerous about-face on conservation has enraged individuals and organizations globally. Furthermore, the lifting of the hunting ban has dramatically accelerated illegal rhino-poaching in the country with over 50 rhinos killed in a 10-month period.

It is a known ”cause and effect” situation that when countries open up to trophy hunting … illegal poaching escalates dramatically. Not arming their wildlife rangers and allowing trophy hunting has created a desperate situation in the country. Poachers buy permits as “trophy hunters” and legally take ivory, horn, etc and ship to Asia where the animal parts command enormous money. Nsefu Wildlife takes a stand against such reckless strategies and greed-based decisions under the auspices of “conservation”.

Nsefu Wildlife donates soap and buckets to the Nsefu Sector Clinic

Nsefu Wildlife Conservation Foundation donated soap and buckets to help workers sanitize the Nsefu Sector Clinic.

These tools are essential to keep the local community healthy. We thank our supporters for making this donation possible in these uncertain times.

Active Beehive - Nsefu Wildlife's Beekeeping Program

Nsefu Wildlife's Beekeeping Program is well under way. We now have six occupied beehives.

Giving farmers an alternative to poaching is another major component of the Nsefu Wildlife Conservation Foundation's mission. Farmer's trying to generate income from crops grown on small plots of land can be justifiably upset when crop raiding elephants encroach upon their farms.