Two rhinos poached in Eastern Cape

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A sub adult male and full term mother were discovered dead and horns removed in the early hours of Tuesday, 3 March.

The Hawks were immediately notified and were on the property shortly thereafter thanks to Wilderness Foundation organising a helicopter from Port Elizabeth. The Green Scorpions arrived on site to assist with processing the crime scene and documenting the evidence.

Dr William Fowlds, who did the autopsy on the two rhinos, discovered that the female was heavily pregnant and proceeded to deliver the unborn, dead baby. Dr Fowlds said that this was the first time that he had seen an almost full term baby only two weeks away from being born.

Third incident

This has been the third poaching incident on Mount Camdeboo since May last year with a total of five rhinos being lost, including the unborn baby. The property is one of the most remote game reserves in the Eastern Cape and was thought to be the last places that poachers would be able to access.

Security measures have been increased since the last poaching incident in November last year, with the assistance of Mount Camdeboo's anti poaching unit team. Wilderness Foundation, along Mount Camdeboo and their neighbours, have put up a reward of R150,000 for any information leading to an arrest that is associated with any rhino poaching incident on Mount Camdeboo.