The brave men who patrol Kruger Park

Lieutenant Tumelo Ntwagae faces the daily threat of coming face to face with men armed with high calibre rifles, machine guns, axes and deadly, sharp knives.
(Image: Esculapio, via Wikimedia Commons)
(Image: Esculapio, via Wikimedia Commons)

Every day of the week, in searing heat or when it's pouring with rain or dark, Ntwagae leads a team of men on patrols through the Kruger National Park (KNP).

He is one of SA National Defence Force soldiers deployed in the worldfamous park as part of Operation Rhino.

The operation is part of efforts to offer support to SA National Parks rangers in the fight against rhino poaching.

SANParks says the KNP has suffered the highest number of rhino killed in South Africa this year, at 521. The total number killed across the country this year alone is 825.

Ntwagae and his colleagues' deployment forms part of daily "aggressive military style operations" intended to "neutralise" poachers.

SANParks said in a statement this week that four suspected poachers had been killed in a confrontation with rangers and 17 others were arrested.

Source: Sowetan, via i-Net Bridge


 
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