Poachers kill rhino and calf at nature reserve in Krugersdorp

A rhino and her calf have been killed at Bothongo Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve in Krugersdorp near the Cradle of Humankind.

Park CEO Mike Fynn said the anti-poaching unit was dispatched at about 4am on Wednesday after gunshots were heard in the distance.

A search was conducted and rangers discovered the dead rhinos not long afterwards.

Fynn said the poachers only managed to remove one horn before fleeing the scene.

“The find was all the more gut-wrenching.

“These animals were a mother and calf that delighted all our visitors and became one of the main reasons that nature lovers from around the globe visited our reserve,” said Fynn.

Fynn said that security would be tightened to ensure the safety of the remaining rhino.

“All of us at the reserve are angry and devastated.

“This is a reminder that rhino poaching remains a crisis, and that we will need to stay vigilant if our children's children are to have a chance to see one of Africa’s most iconic species living free.”

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