JOHANNESBURG – Two suspected Rhino poachers were shot dead on Monday after they opened fire on rangers in South Africa’s Kruger National Park, a park spokesman said.
Kruger spokesman, William Mabasa said on Monday that poachers had killed a record number of rhinos in 2014 for their horns, which were coveted as an ingredient in traditional medicine in Vietnam and China.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10″]
“The rangers were on patrol when they came across a trio of armed men who started shooting,’’ Mabasa said.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10″]
However, two of the men were killed while a third escaped.
“They had equipment on them used in rhino poaching, including an axe which would be used for cutting off the horns,’’ he said.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10″]
The clash took place in the far south of the vast park, which is the size of Israel.
Government figures for 2014 show that by mid-November, 1,020 of the animals had been poached in South Africa, topping the previous record of 1,004 from 2013.
[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”8″]
According to conservationists, Rhino horn fetches 65,000 dollars per Kilogramme. (Reuters/NAN)
Two suspected rhino poachers shot dead in South Africa’s Kruger Park
Loading...
