The Super Blood Moon which took place last Sunday was prophesied to be a momentous event for a number of reasons but, unfortunately, ended up being literally bloody for six rhino at Hluhluwe Game Reserve in South Africa.
As IOL reports, the carcasses of six rhino were discovered by officials at the reserve the day after the lunar blood moon eclipse. Apparently, the light of the full moon allows poachers to enter reserves at night to reduce the risk of getting caught or being seen by spotter aircraft.
Wildlife spokesman Musa Mntambo of Ezemvelo KZN confirmed that the bodies of four rhino were found in close relation to each other, and the other two were killed in a separate poaching episode.
This saddening news brings the number of rhino killed in South Africa this year to 749. In 2014, the number of poached rhinos was 1,215. And about the same time last year, just more than 700 had been killed. This means the rhino poaching record is on track to be matched, or even worse, broken.
At present, no arrests have yet been made.
“It is saddening that this poaching would happen while we are celebrating our heritage,” said acting CEO for Ezembelo, David Mabunda. “As much as we were shocked when we discovered these carcasses we cannot lose hope. We will increase our foot patrols and request that communities residing adjacent to our protected areas continue supplying information that can help us protect our rhino better.”
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