WAN Breaking News! Three Alleged Rhino Poachers Caught Dehorning 3 Rhinos Yesterday At Kruger National Park

Walter Mhangani, Emmanuel Mdhuli, and Xongani Mathebula appear in the Skukuza Regional Court in the Kruger National Park. The three were arrested after poaching three Rhino in the park on Sunday.  Alaister Russell/The Times

Three men were arrested yesterday for allegedly killing three rhinos at Kruger National Park in South Africa.

After hearing gunshots, park rangers reportedly raced to the scene where they caught the three suspects who were in the process of dehorning the second rhino out of three that they killed.

The three men allegedly killed one white adult rhino in the Watergat area and shot and killed two others in Skukuza‚ Mpumalanga.

Local chiefs and royal delegates were also on hand at the site of the crime to help discourage the killing of wild animals and watched as forensic investigators assessed the scene and sadly a 10-year-old male carcass.

As per Times Live, Walter Mhangani‚ 55‚ Emmanuel Mdhuli‚ 29, and Xongani Mathebula‚ a Mozambican international whose age is unknown‚ briefly appeared before Magistrate Vicey Marule this morning where they faced charges of trespassing‚ possession of an unlicensed firearm‚ conspiracy to commit an offense‚ possession of firearms with intent to commit crime and possession of unlicensed ammunition‚ among many other charges.

The state told the court that it intended to oppose bail for the suspects.

“This thing is killing our tourism but the suspects are able to get bail and be on the streets again,” Chief Mathebula Mokoena stated according to thesouthafrican.com. “It is clear that the market has a lot of money. That is why they will stop at nothing to get the horns.”

“I’m saddened and worried that people can be this cruel to do this to these animals. When tourists come to South Africa‚ all they want to see is our ‘big five’ and if one of those is being killed‚ I feel sad,” Mokoena told TimesLive. “When tourists come to our area‚ they create employment because the park employs many of our people around here.”

Mothiba questioned South African police intelligence because it failed to combat and eliminate poaching syndicates and kingpins.

While some game reserves dehorn rhinos to fight poaching, according to Kruger National Park’s head of communications, Jenine Raftopolous, it cannot be implemented there as the rhino are in their natural habitat and need their horns to fight off predators.

To date‚ more than 90 suspects have been arrested in connection with rhino poaching in Kruger National Park.

We must all work together to END poaching for good!