Vets, Safari Operators, Hunter Behind Rhino Killings

Johannesburg - Two veterinarians, two safari operators, and a professional hunter are among nine people who were arrested Monday during a police raids in South Africa. Over 200 rhinos have been killed in the country this year.

Dawie Groenewald, the wealthy driving force behind Out of Africa Adventurous Safaris in Polokwane, his wife, Sariette, and Tielman Erasmus, a professional hunter, are behind bars. They were arrested on Monday along with Dr Karel Toet and Dr Manie du Plessis, two veterinarians from Modimolle, and Toet's wife, Marisa, the news24.com news portal has reported.

Groenewald, a former police official, was suspended from the South African Professional Hunters Association four years ago. Zimbabwe too had put an end to his activities. He was arrested in the US in April this year in connection with a leopard trophy which was illegally hunted in South Africa and exported to the US. He pleaded guilty and was fined US$30 000.

Groenewald is linked to a closed corporation which owns a Robinson R44 helicopter with the registration ZS-HBH. His wife, Sariette, is listed as a director of Valinor Trading 142 - the owner of the helicopter. Helicopters are known to be used during rhino poaching operations.

The Professional Hunters' Association of South Africa (PHASA) said it was hugely disappointing that professional people who held trusted positions in society, could be involved in such a crime, the Mail and Guardian newspaper reported. "PHASA will support any motion to oppose bail given to these people. The mere R2 000 bail that was recently awarded in another case, is a crime by itself," said Adri Kitshoff, PHASA's chief executive officer.

The South African Veterinary Council said that any veterinarian found guilty of disgracing the profession through improper conduct may be barred from practising. "The council may impose, if a person is found guilty of disgraceful, improper or unprofessional conduct... [punishment ranging] from a reprimand to the withdrawal of registration to practise as a veterinarian," it said in a statement.

Rhino poaching has spiked dramatically since 2008 with 210 slaughtered so far this year and 122 in 2009, according to the Endangered Wildlife Trust. South Africa was home to about 90 per cent of the white rhinos in Africa.

Rhino horn has been used for centuries in Chinese traditional medicine, where it is ground into a powder and mixed with hot water to treat rheumatism, gout, high fever and even possession by the devil. Of late, it has started being used as an aphrodisiac. In some southeast Asian countries it is also seen as a cancer remedy.