Three alleged poachers were trying to flee the rangers of Kruger National Park when they encountered a herd of elephants in breeding, according to the statement.
Once the suspects realized they were being chased, they “dropped an ax and a bag with their supplies” and ran away from the rangers, the statement said.
“The Rangers discovered their accomplice badly trampled and unfortunately succumbed to his injuries. The third suspect is said to have been wounded in the eye but continued to flee. A rifle was recovered and the case was remanded. to the police, who together with the pathology team attended the scene, “the statement continued. The third suspect is being sought.
Gareth Coleman, executive manager of Kruger National Park, urged those living nearby to help with any information and said: “We are proud of the teamwork and dedication of our Rangers Corp, our aviators and the K9 unit. “It is unfortunate that one’s life was lost unnecessarily. Only through discipline, teamwork and tenacity will we be able to help curb the tide of poaching in KNP.”
“The campaign against poaching is the responsibility of all of us; it threatens many livelihoods, destroys families and needs much-needed resources to fight crime that could be used to create jobs and development,” he said.
The next day (Sunday), in a separate incident, three more suspected poachers who had a high-level hunting rifle, poaching equipment and ammunition were arrested in Kruger National Park.
Coleman, in a statement issued by the park and emailed to CNN on Monday, said: “We hope these arrests send a strong message to poachers that we are more than determined to stop them to ensure the survival of our rhino species.
“We have strategies in place to make sure we win this campaign. The arrests are a good boost to the morale for our men and women at the forefront of the poaching campaign.”