Two Armed Men from Mozambique Captured for Poaching in Kruger National Park
Two men from Mozambique, aged 29 and 38, were detained in the Kruger National Park on Thursday, May 8, 2025, for engaging in illegal hunting and for having an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. Their capture was part of a coordinated operation involving field rangers, a K9 unit, helicopters, and tracking dogs.
Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane, spokesperson for the Mpumalanga police, noted that the suspects also faced charges for trespassing in the Houtboschrand Ranger area, located within the park’s Marula North section. The arrests followed field rangers discovering tracks left by three suspected poachers during their patrol.
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“The arrest occurred after field rangers, on patrol, discovered tracks belonging to three suspected poachers. They immediately informed their regional ranger in the Marula North section, who dispatched the K9 unit for tracking,” Ndubane explained.
Mozambican Poachers Caught Hiding in Burrow with Rifle and Ammo
As the search intensified, rangers verified the sightings of the suspects and alerted support teams. Helicopters and dogs were deployed to the Gorge Block area, where the suspects were last observed.
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“A helicopter and the tracking dogs commenced searching in the direction where the poachers had been seen,” clarified Ndubane. “After some time, they successfully located two out of the three suspects, who had concealed themselves in a small bush and under an antbear burrow.”
The arrested individuals were found in possession of a hunting rifle and eleven rounds of ammunition. The third suspect managed to escape and is still at large. The two apprehended men are expected to appear before the Skukuza Periodical Court soon.
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Kruger’s Ongoing Battle Against Poaching Intensifies
The recent arrests come amidst heightened efforts to combat illegal poaching in South Africa’s renowned wildlife reserve. Just last week, the Skukuza Regional Court sentenced 41-year-old rhino poacher Nelson Sambo to 20 years in prison for his role in rhinoceros poaching within the park.
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On December 2, 2020, Sambo and another individual, known only as Gabriel, entered the Kruger through the Stolznek section. According to police spokesperson Brigadier Donald Mdhluli, “On that day, field rangers heard two gunshots within the Stolznek area. The incident was immediately reported, and assistance was requested from Skukuza Airport.”
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Authorities are enhancing patrols and surveillance measures to protect Kruger’s endangered wildlife and deter illegal hunting.
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