The Okavango Delta poaching has become an issue of serious
national and international concerns.
Our rising rhino poaching is a serious national and
international concern that needs an immediate targeted response to contain. As it
stands it looks like we have already lost 16 rhinos in the delta since 1 April
2019. This is simply unprecedented and horrific.
It is time to show these poachers that Botswana is a country of law and order.
New President Mokgweetsi Masisi’s party Botswana
Democratic Party was in October re-elected amid fanfare and
national hope to move Botswana forward. One
could only hope that as part of his drive to push Botswana forward, President
Masisi administration will quickly address the Rhino poaching in the delta. Otherwise, all these rhinos would be gone.
Delivering the state of the Nations address on 18 November
2019, President Mokgweetsi Masisi stated that the Government continues to
build capacity to counter the growing threat of wildlife poaching and
trafficking. One would have hoped the president would touch on rhino poaching
which is undoubtedly an issue of national concern given the state of ongoing
poaching in the delta. But he did not. However, it goes without saying that the
emerging rhino poaching needs support from the top office in the land to be
contained.
A press release by the Ministry of Environment,
Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism, issued on October 4, 2019, stated: The
increased poaching of rhinos is deeply worrying in a country that has over the
last few years received rhinos in an effort to safeguard and revive rhino
populations.
“Botswana
does not have many wild rhinos, our population is relatively small” said Dr.
Mmadi Reuben, Department of Wildlife and National Parks Rhino Coordinator in
Botswana. “We have been losing about a rhino a month to poaching; losing two in
one week is unacceptable. If the poaching continues at this rate there will be
no rhinos in Botswana in a year or two, especially the black rhino a ‘critically
endangered species” This will be a huge loss for the country with a strict and
strong anti-poaching policy, which the Government has committed immense
resources.
The release further stated: “The anti-poaching
forces have now placed the protection of rhinos and location of these poaching
gangs as their highest priority, with two poachers having lost their lives
during operations recently. However, as is well known, the Okavango is a very
large area with difficult wetland terrain, which these poachers are using to
their advantage. Engaging the communities in the Okavango Delta to increase
awareness as well as the private sector and NGOs will also be crucial in the fight
against wildlife crime.
The press release revealed that 9 rhinos had been
taken out by poachers from 1 April 2019 at the time.
However, even more, worrying is the fact that more
rhinos have died to poaching since the release was issued more than a month
back. Seven more rhino’s carcasses were recently discovered. This means 16
rhinos have already gone down to poachers.
At this rate, poachers will finish all the rhinos in
the delta. And we need to act.
