Mozambique's Minister of Tourism, Fernando Sumbana,and South Africa's Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa, held an urgent meeting on February 6 to find viable solutions to the rhino poaching crisis that saw the Kruger National Park lose 252 rhino last year.

The meeting was also attended by top government officials in the respective departments of both countries. Minister Molewa stressed that poaching in the KNP had escalated to such unacceptable levels that South Africa urgently required the full co-operation and support of Mozambique if the killing of rhino was to be significantly reduced.

She recently announced initiatives to reduce incursions through the porous Mozambique border between Massingir and Komatipoort. These include adding 150 field rangers to increase law enforcement officers in the KNP to 650; requesting the South African government to increase military presence in the KNP; improving co-ordinated national efforts to increase intelligence gathering; and exploring the possibility strengthening the border fence between Massingir and Komatipoort.

Mozambique is considering legislation that will elevate wildlife poaching to a criminal offence, carrying a heavier sentence than the current offence of damage to property. In addition to the proposed legislation, a new elite highly trained National Anti-poaching Unit has been formed and the first recruits will graduate shortly and be deployed in priority poaching areas.

Minister Sumbana said the Mozambican government had also passed a decree creating a flexible state-owned agency similar to that of SANParks, which will assist with management effectiveness and allow greater flexibility in sourcing funding than is currently the case.