South African rangers get trained by military experts

The veterans of the military have found a new role in South Africa’s poaching war. Experts and veterans from the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere are teaching military techniques to South African rangers. It is worth noting that Rhino poaching in South Africa has increased from less than 100 in 2008 to nearly 1200 in 2015 alone. Due to this fast paced slaughter, conservationists and government authorities have been desperately searching for ways to protect the animals.

After the failure of many ideas, the killing continues. In the present time, military veterans from the United States, Australia and elsewhere have been drafted to bring their expertise to the uphill battle to save the rhinos. ‘‘The same behaviour that you see in poaching is the same thing that you see in an insurgency, so having extensive background and understanding in insurgency and counter insurgency, all these applications directly apply,” the American war veteran, Lynn Westover explains.

Owners of private reserves and local ranches are taking the training courses together with guards and rangers in order to better protect the wildlife and to avert poachers.

In countries like Vietnam and China, the demand for rhino horn where it is used for medicinal purposes has  intensified poaching and trafficking of rhino horns.  In the Asian black market The horns sell for up to $ 60,000 per kilogram.