Latest reports are suggesting that rhino poachers have been working in tandem with game rangers to successfully kill off any living rhino in Mozambique. Last month, 15 of the animals remained in the Mozambican part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, but have since been poached for their horns.

These 15 rhinos were assumed to be the last surviving of the 300 that inhabited the area. “The world’s greatest animal kingdom,”  was developed specifically to conserve these rhinos. But it seems these efforts have failed.

The Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park stretches from South Africa to Mozambique and Zimbabwe. In light of the recent poaching increases, South African officials may re-erect fences between these reserves.

The park’s administrator said the coming weeks will see 30 rangers appearing in court, facing charges of collusion in poaching.

Kelvin Alie from the International Fund for Animal Welfare responded to ranger involvement in poaching, saying:

[It] Speaks volumes about the deadly intent of the wildlife trade.

They will stop at nothing to get to their quarry. It is tragic beyond tears that we learn game rangers have now become the enemy in the fight to protect rhino from being poached for their horns.

A meeting with Mozambican environmental minister is scheduled for next week, said a spokesperon for South Africa’s environmental minister.

Dr Jo Shaw from the World Wide Fund for Nature said:

Rhinos being killed in Kruger are mostly by Mozambican poachers who then move the horns out through their airports and seaports. With huge governance and corruption issues in Mozambique, it’s a huge challenge.

[Source: The Telegraph]