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Botswana Kills Five Suspected Poachers in Effort to Save Rhinos

Mqondisi Dube

   GABORONE, BOTSWANA - Botswanahas seen an unprecedented rise in
   rhinocerospoaching in the last 12 months.

   The government reports nearly 50of the animalshave beenkilledin the
   last 10 months, about one-tenth of the country'srhino population.

   Officials say at this rate, the black rhino population, which numbers
   just a few dozen,could be wiped out by the end of next year.

   But Botswana's security forces are taking the fight to the poachers.
   This week, fivesuspectedpoachers were killed in two incidents.

   On Monday, onepoachingsuspectwas gunned down in aconfrontationwith
   local soldiers. Fourmoresuspectedpoacherswere killed two days later, in
   the thickets of the Okavango Delta, home to most of the country's
   rhinos.

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