The iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (EKZNW) recently implemented a rhino de-horning programme throughout the western sections of the park, to deter poachers in the World Heritage Site.

Park CEO, Andrew Zaloumis, said: “The iSimangaliso Wetland Park, like other conservation areas in northern KwaZulu Natal and Kruger National Park, has experienced an unprecedented surge in rhino poaching effort during the last 24 months – often with simultaneous multiple poaching incursions. In a considered response, and after in-depth discussion, reflection and specialist consultation, the iSimangaliso Authority, together with our conservation partners EKZNW, is putting into place an additional suite of bold strategies and interventions to bolster rhino security in sections of the park where they are most under threat and vulnerable to rhino poachers.”

Under Threatened or Protected Species permits from the Department of Environmental Affairs, the de-horning of Black and White rhino in the western sections of iSimangaliso has been completed.

The operation was conducted by EKZNW vet, Dr Dave Cooper, in collaboration with Dr Mike Kock and his team from the University of Pretoria’s Faculty of Veterinary Science, Onderstepoort.  The de-horning takes approximately 20 minutes and is completely painless.

Tony Conway, EKZNW iSimangaliso Park Conservation Manager and Chairman of the KZN Rhino Management Group, said: “With the de-horning work complete, and the western shores ‘horn-free’, the rhino are now less vulnerable to poaching, able to roam freely and breed without being targeted for their horn.”