The specialist Kruger National Park anti- poaching response unit of the South African National Parks has received a Gazelle helicopter, which will enable the unit to rapidly deploy tracking teams to locate poachers and conduct night patrols using thermal imaging equipment on the aircraft, says donor organisation Ichikowitz Foundation chairperson Ivor Ichikowitz.

The Ichikowitz Foundation donated the aircraft and South African defence and aerospace company Paramount Group Advanced Technology Division configured it for its new role, especially for night patrols using thermal imaging from a high altitude to detect intrusions.

The Gazelle, manufactured by French aero- space company Aérospatiale, is an infantry-support, scouting and light-transport single-turbine engine helicopter. The cockpit provides excellent visibility and the aircraft can reach an air speed of 310 km/h, with a range of 670 km, says Paramount Group special projects manager Mike Levy.

It can transport a three-member tracking team with a tracker dog, along with a pilot and another team member in the aircraft.

The antipoaching unit held an exercise for international and local media and conservation executives, which demonstrated the unit’s integration of ground forces and aerial support to insert teams rapidly and suppress poachers, says commanding officer for the exercise retired South African National Defence Force major-general Johan Jooste.

Two team members, disguised as poachers and carrying an assault rifle and an axe, represented the average size of poaching groups that infiltrate the national park. They fired three shots to simulate the first wounding of a rhinoceros, as is common in poaching incidents, which alerted a ground team of rangers.

The ground team reported the shots fired, precipitating a radio silence mandated across the park while antipoaching operations are carried out. The team requested a helicopter with a tracking team, which maintained a holding pattern away from the reported incident. The rangers continued to track the spoor of the poachers, who were simulating the tracking of a wounded rhino.

The goal of the rangers is to remain undetected to enable them to arrest the poachers.

The poachers simulated running a wounded rhino to ground and a further four shots were fired, simulating the killing of the wounded animal. One of the poachers ran back along their trail to act as a lookout, while the other stayed to hack off the horn, which can take only five to ten minutes, necessitating a rapid response.

The rangers reported the location of the shots heard and requested that a canine team be deployed.

Rangers use green smoke to show the pilot where it is safe to deploy the team. The helicopter then circles the area at a low altitude to suppress the poachers and make them hide rather than flee.

The canine team used the tracks of the poachers to give the hound the scent, which then sniffed out the poacher near the carcass.

An engagement between the team and the poacher was then simulated, during which the dog handler stayed back to provide support, while the other members kept one another in peripheral vision and took turns firing on the suspect and then moving closer, thereby suppressing the poacher and preventing his escape, while the helicopter circled closely overhead to keep any other suspects in the area suppressed.

Once the poacher had surrendered or was wounded, the team secured his weapon and arrested him. The scene is preserved for a forensic team that would arrive later.

Another canine team with an attack dog was then deployed to simulate how the remaining poacher would be run to ground.

The specialist antipoaching unit is equipped with 7.62 mm calibre assault rifles and 9 mm side arms, as well as medical kits, camouflage and additional equipment for patrols that spend days in the bush, says special tactics trainer and Kruger National Park special operations and antipoaching head Bruce Leslie.

The military equipment and special training the unit receives are intended to counter the military experience commonly found among poachers, a legacy of African conflicts, says Ichikowitz.

“We are in the midst of a high-intensity war with poachers who plunder our natural resources and are a scourge to the people who rely on tourism and our natural heritage for their livelihoods.

“This helicopter will help to detect poachers at night when they move around with a smaller chance of being detected and ensure rapid responses to poaching incidents. The aircraft cockpit is compatible with military thermal imaging technology that will enable the unit to reclaim the initiative from the poachers at night,” he concludes.