*This article contains graphic details that may disturb sensitive readers
Searl Derman, owner of Inverdoorn Private Game Reserve just outside Cape Town has released a statement following the horrific discovery he and his staff made on Wednesday night when they found four rhinos (including one pregnant female) massacred at the reserve.
Here’s what Derman had to say following the massacre:
“This outpour of support means a lot to our teams that have not only worked around the clock to save the surviving rhino but continue to protect the wildlife at our game reserves.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time that we experienced the horror of rhino poaching. At the time of the previous incident in 2011, it took us six months to make arrests and identify the perpetrators involved. This time around, similar to then, we have not slept, spared no expense, time or effort and we are hoping for results and to make arrests within days.”
“The South African Police Service and Cape Nature have been instrumental in the ongoing investigation. They have also worked relentlessly and we thank them for taking this rhino poaching incident seriously.
We have information and the information is exciting. We are expecting to have favourable results shortly.
The investigators are actively pursuing the criminals, and sadly, as with most rhino poaching incidents, the trend includes the provision of information from within the staffing compliment of private game reserves – including bribes – to gain valuable information.”
“As a precautionary measure, this means that our local and national investigators are also interrogating our teams at all of our game lodges – and with the support of TPServices, we have polygraphed staff throughout the night to ensure we cover all possible angles and leads.
At this point we are not in a position to provide any further detailed investigative information, but we can however state that we are hot on the trail of several potential poachers and we are expecting to make further positive announcements shortly.”
In the meantime, the reserve has also created a reward for information and invited the public and concerned citizens to make donations towards the private investigation, forensic teams, medical and vet bills, training, staffing, and rewards that we plan to offer to motivate informants to provide information. Please visit https://www.payfast.co.za/donate/go/aquila/ to donate.
Also read:
Tragedy strikes at WC Reserve after rhinos found massacred, R100 000 reward for info
Picture: Aquila Collection
