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March 23 2012 at 11:20am
Acclaimed conservationist and author Lawrence Anthony died just before his latest book, The Last Rhinos, could be published. Written with Graham Spence, The Last Rhinos tells another extraordinary story of life on a KZN game reserve

This is an extract from The Last Rhinos by Lawrence Anthony and Graham Spence

It was barely light when the radio first crackled into life. “Code red! Code red! Come in, Lawrence, come in. Over.”

“Standing by.”

“Bad morning.” The caller paused. “We have a dead rhino at Hlaza Hill. A female. Over.”

Read more: Every rhino now in Mortal Danger

Origami Rhino Unfolding from MABONA ORIGAMI on Vimeo.

March 19 2012 at 09:13am
By Tony Carnie and Yusuf Moolla.

Four men were arrested on Durban’s beachfront on Sunday for being in possession of a rhino horn.

The swoop came as a wildlife expert warned that SA could lose 1 300 rhinos to black-market poachers by the end of 2012.

Police in civilian clothing swooped on the suspects and the men were on the ground within minutes, their hands tied, as bystanders applauded.

Initially bystanders believed they were witnessing a botched hijacking, but were shocked to see a rhino horn on the road near the suspects.

Freelance photographer Richard Slatter, who was walking along Battery Beach, said he noticed a man talking on his cellphone outside the old Natal Command before alerting others, who swooped on the suspects.

“It happened very fast; I went to get my camera and when I got back the suspects were on the ground, surrounded by plainclothes policemen.”

Read more: Rhino horn gang nabbed by cops

SA Time: 13 March 2012 03:32:13 PM

March 13 2012 at 12:56pm
By Tony Carnie

All news on rhino poaching in SA national parks will now come from the national government, raising suspicions about further curbs on news of the national rhino poaching crisis.

SA National Parks spokesman Wanda Mkutshulwa issued a statement on Monday that “until further notice all matters related to rhino poaching will be addressed by the Environmental Affairs Department (DEA)”.

“This will include the updates that SANParks has been giving to the media about rhino poaching statistics, all interviews related to rhino poaching and all issues of clarity or information.”

Read more: Government to control rhino poaching news

Scotland starting a rhino DNA database to help prosecute theives

Published on Sunday 11 March 2012 00:00

A UNIQUE DNA database is being developed in Scotland to help police crack down on thefts of African rhinoceros horns from museums across Europe.

It is thought that organised crime gangs more commonly associated with drug trafficking, money laundering and smuggling, have targeted more than 50 museums and auction houses in the past year, including in the UK.

The night-time raids are a response to soaring prices for rhino horn in the Far East, where it can fetch £60,000 a kilo due to its supposed medicinal qualities, making it more valuable than gold and cocaine. Museums in Scotland that possess horns brought back by Victorian and Edwardian explorers have now taken the genuine versions off display and replaced them with plastic replicas.

Read more: DNA trap for rhino horn raiders