Police hunt rhino killers
2009-07-28 22:08
Johannesburg - A search is underway for poachers who shot and killed a white rhino in Krugersdorp, east of Johannesburg, last weekend, Gauteng police said on Tuesday.
Someone flying a helicopter on Saturday at noon spotted the poachers on the Mount Savannah nature reserve and alerted authorities, police spokesperson Captain Jacob Raboroko said.
"[The person in the helicopter] spotted the poachers who shot the rhino busy trying to cut off its horn.
"The rhino - named Toliwe and famous for appearing in a TV series and commercial - appeared to have been shot six times when his body was found."
Six empty cartridges were found on the scene. The rhino was apparently still alive when the poachers tried to saw off its horn. It bled to death.
The police's stock theft unit was searching for the poachers.
- SAPA