20 Dec 2012

The Anti-poaching Patrol Unit (APU) initiative is bearing fruit.

Department of Wildlife and National Parks senior wildlife scout in Tsabong, Mr Robert Gabankalafe, said in an interview that patrol officers had so far managed to apprehend a number of suspects engaged in illegal hunting.

"This year alone, there were 23 cases of poaching and five culprits were brought to book as compared to only two cases last year (2011) where only one offender was tried and convicted of the crime. Of the five, two were fined P1 500, another two P800 while one was fined P1000," said Mr Gabankalafe.

Meanwhile, Mr Gabankalafe said the apprehensions and convictions were a clear indication that APU officers were doing a good job.

However, he bemoaned some challenges which, he said, hampered their efforts to effectively fight poaching. "We experience shortage of transport in 2011," he lamented.

The APU programme that has been implemented countrywide more especially in wildlife areas such as Kasane involved setting up well skilled and trained patrol units in poaching spots and its mandate was to monitor and safeguard wildlife, he said. ENDS