There is growing concern over the alarming rise in poaching across the Midlands. Ezemvelo Wildlife’s Lions River honorary officers have warned that syndicates are becoming more organised and brazen, and increasingly difficult to catch. Chairperson, Ant Stratford and several officers were at the Howick Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday to sit-in on the case of four alleged poachers arrested recently in Lions River.
The men, aged between 21 and 46, briefly appeared before court on charges of trespassing. Stratford said that on November 15, officers intercepted five suspects, one of them a minor, with 16 hunting dogs on a farm. They were impounded by the Howick SPCA, and the suspects were transported to the Howick police station for a case to be opened.
He said no carcasses were found, indicating that the officers may have averted wildlife kills. But the incident is just one in “a crisis” which protected species such as reedbuck and oribi are among the most frequently targeted. “Illegal poaching in this area is a huge, monstrous issue that is getting out of control,” he said.
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Lions River, Boston, Bulwer, and Mpophomeni are hotspots. We have managed to get better control in Karkloof and Curry’s Post due to strong co-operation between communities and local security companies.
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