FOR the first time in five years, there were no rhino-poaching incidents in the Eastern Cape this past festive season. This is as a result of specialist counter- poaching operations after a "high alert" was issued in November warning all rhino owners to be more vigilant as December and January were "traditionally high-risk periods".
The Environment Affairs Department's Green Scorpions and other key roleplayers, including police, attribute the incident-free season to joint initiatives between law enforcement agencies and private reserve owners.
Provincial anti-poaching intelligence coordinator Rodney Visser said plans were put in place in the weeks leading up to the festive season.
"It was, and still is, a lot of hard work but with private reserves working together with authorities we were able to ensure fast response to suspicious activity in and around known high-risk areas," he said.
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