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African rhino horn. File picture.
Image by: Reuben Goldberg

Three veterinarians and five other men appeared in the Pretoria North Magistrate's Court on Tuesday in connection with the wrongful possession and distribution of scheduled veterinary drugs commonly used in rhino poaching.

One of the vets, Douw Grobler, formerly headed the Kruger National Park's wildlife capturing and veterinary services unit.

Read more: Vets in court over drugs often used for rhino poaching

Johannesburg - Four SA National Parks (SANParks) officials have been arrested in connection with rhino poaching, SANParks said on Wednesday. The four officials were arrested on Tuesday afternoon after two rhino were found killed in the Kruger National Park (KNP) earlier that morning, SANParks spokesperson Wanda Mkutshulwa said in a statement.

"The animals had been shot and their horns removed. Further investigations into the killing of the two rhino and possibly other rhino poaching incidents in the area are currently being conducted," she said.

Read more: SANParks officials held for Rhino Poaching

Media Release: Two Rhino killed in the KNP

Date: 28th February 2012

Two fresh white adult rhino carcasses with horns removed were discovered this morning, 28 February 2012 at Napi Boulders Loop, in the Pretoriuskop Ranger Section of the Kruger National Park (KNP).

Tourists from one of the private open safari vehicles noticed the two carcasses and immediately alerted Rangers and members of the South African Police Services who rushed to the scene. The poachers are still at large but investigations are currently underway.

Read more: Media Release: Two Rhino killed in the KNP

24 February 2012 at 01:55 GMT

BBC News

The US has made seven arrests in a multi-state rhino horn-smuggling ring, seizing $1m (£637,000) in gold ingots. The arrests come after an 18-month-long investigation, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) told the BBC. Rhinos are an endangered species, but their horns are smuggled for buyers who believe they cure cancer. Fish and Wildlife Director Dan Ashe told the Los Angeles Times the arrests had "dealt a serious blow to rhino horn smuggling both in the US and globally".

Read more: 7 arrests in USA for smuggling rhino horn

Texas rodeo cowboy is accused of trafficking in rhino horns

Feb. 23, 2012, 10:15 p.m. PST McClatchy/Tribune - MCT Information Services

FORT WORTH, Texas _ A professional rodeo cowboy from Texas who also breaks and trains camels is sitting in a Waco jail awaiting transfer to California, where he faces federal charges of trafficking in rhinoceros horns for the illicit Asian folk-medicine market.

Read more: More arrests in USA trafficking ring