Botswana Army Officers Shoot and Kill Two Rhino Poachers in the Okavango Delta

Posted by Botswana Safari News on August 27, 2019 | 1 comment

Two suspected rhino poachers were allegedly killed in a fire exchange with the army officers in the Mombo area of the Okavango Delta.

Acting Maun station commander Samuel told media that Four Botswana Defence Force (BDF) reportedly shot and killed the poachers in the Mombo area of the Okavango Delta on Sunday.

Kgomo said the four officers were on patrol and saw the poachers’ tracks. Shortly they heard a gunshot in the distance. Moving the direction of the sound, the officers saw a female black rhino with a young one in flight. The mother rhino had evident gun wounds and was running from the poachers. The officers pulled an ambush knowing the poachers will be following it. True to their suspicions the poachers appeared. Once seeing the officers the poachers did not waste time as they shot at the BDF officers who in retaliation killed them in the fire exchange. The rhino was later found dead a short distance away leaving its young one.

The bodies of the suspected poachers are currently at Letsholathebe II in Maun for investigations.  The army discovered a .375 rifle in possession of the deceased poachers. The nationalities of the suspected poachers are still unknown but there are suspicions they may be Namibians.