Poachers continue to cause a great deal of concern for the security of the country as evidenced by the number of elephants and rhinos killed this year.
Brigadier Terry Macheng, of the National Coordination for Anti Poaching Unit in Kasane, said that this year alone, Botswana has lost about 24 elephants in Chobe and two rhinos at Makgadikgadi to poachers.
He told The Telegraph that the two rhinos were killed at the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans and that no one has been caught yet. He said investigations are still ongoing.
‘’The threat of poaching now involves sophisticated techniques, which are challenges to global security and which do not observe transnational boundaries,” he said.
It has been recorded that poaching is actually the third largest criminal activity in the world.
With a lot of money involved it is alleged that some people are getting interested in poaching.
In South Africa, for example, it is said poachers use helicopters. In Botswana, poachers are most active in Kgalagadi, CKGR, Ngamiland, Chobe and Tuli Block.
Macheng has also warned of an increase in the poaching of smaller game in the country for subsistence purposes.
He, however, pointed out that they are currently drafting a national anti-poaching strategy that looks at the whole of government’s approach, using the DIS, BDF, Police and Wildlife personnel to try and deal with poaching and to protect national security.
