Much like dogs have been brought into the poaching crisis for their specific skill set, horses are becoming a useful tool for anti-poaching units. Many active units are incorporating horses into their arsenal of tools to fight poaching. The horses have also been a game-changer for the rangers on patrol. On foot, a ranger can patrol 6 to 13 kilometers per 8-hour shift depending upon terrain. On horseback, the rangers can travel faster and farther than on foot, covering about 31 kilometers over a standard 5.5-hour patrol.
Mounted rangers also have an added level of protection. For example, horses give the ranger a higher field of vision over tall savanna grasses. Wildlife reacts to mounted rangers as they would a new or interesting animal – with curiosity as opposed to fear. A horse can outrun most dangerous animals, while a ranger on foot must be extra diligent since they can’t get away as fast. The horses command respect and elicit a degree of fear and intimidation from the poachers. Being chased down and apprehended by a mounted ranger is a very real possibility and one that makes them think twice about the location they choose.
The advantages the horses bring to patrol come at a time when rhino poaching in the Eastern Cape is on the rise, despite an overall downward trend across South Africa beginning in 2014. The Eastern Cape saw a 58% increase in poaching in 2018 over the previous year. The increase of poaching incidents in the Eastern Cape indicates a change in the poachers’ targeted zones.
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