Defcon III Rhino Project

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🚨 Breaking News 🚨🦏

Another good day for our rhinos.💪🏼 It took very long but it got done.

Convicted rhino poacher Sifiso Mbuyane was sentenced to an effective 28 years’ direct imprisonment by the Skukuza Regional Court.

DNA and ballistic evidence linked Mbuyane to the killing of two rhinos in Kruger National Park.
The crimes date back to around January 2017 (one incident specifically on 17 January 2017), with some related charges from as far back as 2015.

The court imposed multiple sentences that run partly concurrently to reach the effective 28-year term (e.g., for rhino poaching, possession of ammunition, etc.).

Find the news here👇🏼
https://www.citizen.co.za/mpumalanga-news/news-headlines/local-news/2026/05/25/rhino-poacher-jailed-for-28-years-by-skukuza-reginal-court/

5 suspected rhino poachers killed in shootout with police

“Five suspected rhino poachers have been shot and killed in a shootout with police in Hluhluwe, Northern KwaZulu-Natal.
Police say they gathered intelligence that the suspects were travelling along the R618 towards a game reserve and decided to set up a stop-and-search operation along the route on Saturday evening.

“When the suspects arrived at the roadblock, a shootout ensued between the police and the suspects.
“Five suspects were shot and fatally wounded,” said police. No officer was injured during the shootout.
The suspects were found in possession of a hunting rifle with a silencer and two pistols.

Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park in KwaZulu-Natal has, through several interventions, reduced the amount of rhinos lost over the last two years. There were only 63 deaths in 2025, a drop from 198 in 2024.”

SOURCE:
https://www.citizen.co.za/news/5-suspected-rhino-poachers-killed-in-shootout-with-police/
📸 Mike Veale