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SABI SAND WILDTUIN – MONTHLY SECURITY REPORT

FEEDBACK REPORT MAR 18 – SABI SAND WILDTUIN

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

During the month five (5) internal incidents and one external (1) incident were

reported.

Regular liaison is taking place with the KNP and other agencies regarding

Intelligence and Operations.

We are waiting for the KNP to sign the agreement for the upgrading of the Toulon

gate at the Skukuza airstrip.

Ntomeni Ranger Services will take over the responsibilities of the Londolozi area

as from 1 Apr 18.

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Date last rhino poached

in SSW: 25 Jul 17

Total Rhinos died

natural causes in SSW -

month:

0

SSW carcass free days: 250

Total Rhinos died

natural causes in SSW

2018:

2

Total Rhinos poached in

SSW 2018: 0

Total poached South

Africa – 2018

135

Unofficial

figure

Total Rhinos poached in

SSW for the month: 0

Total Rhinos poached in

Mala Mala for the year

2018

1

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SSW STATISTICS 2017

Incident Type

Jan

Feb

Mar

Ap

r

May

Ju

n

Ju

l

Au

g

Sep

Oct

No

v

Dec

TO

TA

L

Rhino Poached 1 - - 1+0

Poachers Neutralised & Arrests

- - 2 2

Weapons Recovered

- - - -

Po

ach

ing

Acti

vit

ies

Fence cuts 1 - 2 3

Crossings 2 - 2 4

Sightings 1 - - 1

Shots heard 1 1 2 4

Tracks 2 - 2 4

Contacts - - - -

Gen

era

l

Asp

ects

Environmental incidents

1 1 1 3

Other - - 1 1

Poachers neutralised includes the arrests made inside SSW and during Intelligence driven operations outside SSW.

Numbers in red are incidents on Mala Mala

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Incident 1

Where (Property) Outside SSW - Acornhoek

Date 6 Mar 18

Type Arrest (2)

Incident description The intelligence team supported by NIU arrested 2

suspected poachers who they found with platimum stone.

Incident 2

Where (Property) Buffelshoek

Date 10 Mar 18

Type Shooting incident

Incident description

NRS patrol had to shoot charging elephant at night as

rangers faced mortal danger.

The rangers took several actions to avoid the elephants.

Incident 3

Where (Property) Buffelshoek

Date 20 Mar 17

Type Shots reported

Incident description

NRS Rangers reported shots from their position, inside

Manyeleti.

Manyeleti Rangers had made contact with suspected

poachers.

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Incident 4

Where (Property) Alicecot

Date 20 Mar 18

Type Fence cut, Crossing & tracks (3)

Incident description

Entry point was found on Alicecot where suspected

poachers cut the fence and entered SSW.

Follow-up was done by NRS and helicopter.

Group exited SSW on Ulusaba property later the same

night.

No other poaching activities could be found.

Incident 5

Where (Property) Lisbon

Date 23 Mar 18

Type Shots heard

Incident description

NRS patrol reported shots south of their position in the

KNP.

KNP Rangers had made contact with poachers.

Incident 6

Where (Property) Arathusa & Buffelshoek

Date 27 Mar 18

Type Fence cut, Crossings, Tracks (3)

Incident description SSW Rangers found the point were paochers cut fence on

Arathusa during an exit.

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Tracks were back tracked to a point on the Buffelshoek

eastern boundary with the KNP.

Poachers entered SSW from the KNP where they hunted

rhino the previous night. Shots were reported by KNP

inside Tshokwane.

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Orientation and Incident Map

Sabi Sand Wildtuin

Map Legend

Contact

Tracks Found/Other

Carcasses

Sighting

Crossing and Tracks

Shots Heard

Incident 5. Shots

reported – 23 Mar 18

Incident 3. Shots

reported – 20 Mar 18

Incident 4. Fence

cut, crossing &

tracks (3)

Incident 6. Fence

cut, crossing &

tracks (3) – 27 Mar

18

Incident 1. Arrest

(2) – 6 Mar 18

Incident 2.

Elephant shot – 10

Mar 18

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The graph above show year on year increase since 2011 for rhino poached (green line).

The average trend (11%) (red line) of the past six (6) years forecasts a lost of 7 rhinos for

2018.

Lessons learnt during 2017/8

Counter-tracking is being used more and more by suspected poachers during their

incursions and great care is taken by suspected poachers to enter SSW and when

crossing roads/cutlines in order not to leave any tracks or markings behind.

Use of help on the outside has become the norm during incursions.

It is also seen that suspected poachers do detailed reconnaissance before

attempting to enter SSW.

Suspected poachers are making use of equipment to bridge the fence and place

well positioned conductors on offsets to ensure that the fence alarm is not

triggered.

11%

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Predictions

Incursions into the Western Sector and the Castleton / Dudley / Shaws / Lisbon

areas can increase due to the high number of rhino in these areas. Incursions will

be quick same day/night in and out. On the Southern boundaries in the Lisbon

area increased activities can also be expected.

The Northern boundary and the Buffelshoek property still stays an area of great

concern. Incursions into Manyeleti and Kingfischerspruit have increased during the

past month. Incursions into the Northern parts of Tskowane are starting to

increase where the poachers will make use of the Buffelshoek/Gowrie to exit the

area due to the tall lights that are visible for many kilometres, this is then being

used for navigation. Incursions into Tskowane from Mozambique has also picked

up during the past months. If this continues in the next months it will have an effect

on Mala Mala and then later on SSW.

Actions in the Southern part of the KNP have increased. Suspected poachers can

make use of the areas bordering the KNP in South to exit the KNP.

Risks

Fences

With the increased caution that suspected poachers are taking to

enter, new and innovative changes must be made on the fence to

make it more difficult to cross. Internal upgrades are underway.

Changes to the Alicecot fence line have been completed and the

work teams have started in areas on the Northern boundary of

SSW.

Erosion on the fence line remains a problem. Most of the erosion is

on the outside (community side).

The fence at the Protea Hotel is in the process of being upgraded.

Gates

Sniffer dogs at the gates are working well. Shaws gate has limited

canine surveillance as the dogs cannot be accommodated at the

gate. Measures are being put in place to have sniffer dogs on a

more regular basis at Shaws.

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The whole gate process is being looked at, to simplify the

processes and speed up the entries.

General

With access into SSW becoming more and more difficult, suspected

poachers will be making use of staff members working on SSW to

assist in obtaining information on rhino locations as well as ranger

movements. We can expect that internal involvement will increase

in the coming months.

Blackmailing of rangers and staff can also take place to obtain

information and assistance.

Operational Actions for the Past Month

Date Area Action Remarks

1-31 Mar 18 Southern, Western

and Northern

boundary.

Daily fence patrols by

SSW Rangers.

Fence patrols during

the day and night.

Ongoing actions by

SSW Rangers.

1-31 Mar 18 Properties on the

inside of SSW except

Singita.

Patrols by NRS

Rangers.

Area patrols day and

night. Ongoing

actions by NRS

Rangers.

1-31 Mar 18 Singita and Othawa Patrols by K9

Conservation.

Area Patrols.

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Intelligence Led Operations

Date Area Reason Outcome

1-31 Mar 18 Intelligence driven

operations outside

SSW.

Determining rhino

poaching groups

influencing SSW.

Ongoing.

Deception Tests Feedback and Tests Completed for the Month

Date Test Further Investigation

1-31 Mar 18 34 reports received from

Lodges

Interviews will be done on

members that showed

deception on the polygraph.

In total 182 Polygraph test reports have been completed in SSW and reports received.

1-31 Mar 18 SSW - NRS Aerial patrols Patrols were flown

with the SSW

helicopter – ZS-RTR

and GKEPF, ZU

OPS.

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Flight Report – hours flown – Mar 18

Code Type of Flight Hours Missions

011 Patrol: Visible 4.5 4

012 Patrol: Investigation 2.5 2

013 Patrol: NVG 1.5 1

022 Call Out: Fresh Spoor/Incursion 0.8 (0.3) 1

Numbers in brackets (red) indicate night flights 9.3 (1.8)

Dimension Data work during the start of phase 2 – installation of a fibre cable between

Shaws and Newington. Members of the community were used to help with the

installation.

END