KZN reserve dehorns entire rhino population to prevent poaching
A KwaZulu-Natal nature reserve has dehorned its entire white rhino population in a bid to save the endangered species from poaching threats.
KZN Ezemvelo Wildlife has embarked on the biggest rhino dehorning operation in the province.
An undisclosed number of the animals were dehorned in Spioenkop Nature Reserve in KZN.
Ezemvelo's Musa Mntambo says it was a hard decision to make but it is the only way to keep species alive.
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The first dehorning operation was three years ago after three rhinos were killed in the reserve by poachers.
"The reason is to try and chase away those poachers because when they see a rhino with no horns they don't normally poach.
"After we dehorned them, we did not lose any rhino in Spioenkop but we noticed that the horns have grown and a decision was taken to dehorn them again. The horns will be taken, they will be marked properly and they are kept in a safe."
