Cape Town - A SANParks field ranger at the Kruger National Park has been arrested in connection with trying to sell a live pangolin.
The SANParks said in collaboration with police, Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary, Focused Conservation Solutions and Farm Watch Forums in Hoedspruit, they arrested several suspects in connection with the incident on Thursday.
One of those arrested was a SANParks ranger based at the Letaba Section of the Kruger National Park.
“Investigations are ongoing and the arrested will be formally charged and named in due course.
“The operation was initiated by SANParks through intelligence information on the impending illegal sale of the pangolin.
“It was, however, a collaborative effort from a number of dedicated and committed individuals which secured the arrest,” SANParks said.
Pangolins, an endangered species, are sought for their skin that makes attractive leather for boots, similar to snakeskin or armadillo boots.
In South Africa the pangolin ranges over most of the former eastern, northern and western Transvaal, northern KwaZulu-Natal, northeastern Cape, from where its distribution continues into neighbouring countries.
Meanwhile, the Department of Forestry, Fishing and the Environment (DFFE) earlier this year announced that rhino poaching in the Kruger National Park declined by 40% in 2022.
In 2022, 124 rhino were killed in the park.
“The number of rhino poached in the Kruger National Park represents a 40% decrease compared with those killed for their horn 2021.
“Unfortunately the poaching threat has shifted to KwaZulu-Natal, which lost 244 rhino to poaching last year. Of these, 228 were killed in provincial parks and 16 in privately owned reserves. The Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park was specifically targeted.”
Cape Times