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Rhino charges and injures suspected poacher tracking him in Namibia national park

Luteni Muharukua left with severe leg wound after falling when fleeing animal he is presumed to have been hunting for its horn

Christopher Torchia

Monday 23 October 2017 07:22 BST

The rhino 'appeared from nowhere' to attack Mr Muharukua, according to local police (Will Whitford)

A rhino turned the tables on a suspected poacher in Namibia, charging and injuring the man while he was allegedly tracking it.

The incident happened in Etosha National Park after suspect Luteni Muharukua and other alleged poachers illegally entered the wildlife area in hopes of killing rhinos for their horns, The Namibian newspaper reported last week.

The newspaper said the rhino “appeared from nowhere” and quoted Simson Shilongo, a police officer, as saying the rhino inflicted a severe leg injury on Muharukua after he fell while fleeing.

The suspect's friends found refuge for him on a nearby mountain and police arrested him there on 15 October, a day after he was injured, according to Shilongo. Muharukua was being treated at a hospital under police guard.

The Namibian posted an online cartoon showing a snarling rhino butting a man with a rifle who is already airborne from the blow. “The poacher, poached!” reads the caption.

Rhino poaching has increased in recent years in Namibia, which has one of Africa's biggest populations of the critically endangered black rhino. Neighbouring South Africa is home to most of the continent's rhinos, including the more numerous white rhino species.

The last charge as western black rhino is declared extinct

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1/12The last charge as western black rhino is declared extinct

The last charge as western black rhino is declared extinct

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The International Union for Conservation of Nature says the Western Black Rhino (pictured) is extinct and two other species of rhino are "possibly" extinct.

Getty Images

The last charge as western black rhino is declared extinct

Reef Manta Ray_Manta alfredi_Andrea Marshall.JPG

The Reef Manta Ray is also on the conservation group's Red List of Threatened Species.

The last charge as western black rhino is declared extinct

Southern White Rhino subspecies _Ceratotherium simum simum_Dr Richard Emslie (2).JPG

The Southern White Rhino of central Africa is now "possibly extinct" in the wild and firmly placed on the Red List of Threatened Species.

The last charge as western black rhino is declared extinct

Summers Poison Frog_Ranitomeya summers_Jason Brown.jpg

The Blessed Poison Frog (Ranitomeya benedicta) is currently listed as Vulnerable and the Summers' Poison Frog (pictured) (Ranitomeya summersi) is Endangered.

The last charge as western black rhino is declared extinct

Tarzans Chameleon_ Calumma tarzan_Jörn Köhler.jpg

The current Red List reveals that an alarming 40% of Madagascar’s terrestrial reptiles are threatened. The 22 Madagascan species currently identified as Critically Endangered, which include chameleons, geckoes, skinks and snakes, are now a conservation challenge. Encouragingly, there are new conservation areas being designated in Madagascar that will help conserve a significant proportion of Critically Endangered species, such as Tarzan’s Chameleon (Calumma tarzan) (pictured), the Bizarre-nosed Chameleon (Calumma hafahafa) and the Limbless Skink (Paracontias fasika).

The last charge as western black rhino is declared extinct

Paroedura masobe_Franco Andreone.jpg

The Paroedura masobe gecko is classed as "endangered" by the IUCN.

The last charge as western black rhino is declared extinct

Giant Manta Ray_Manta birostris_Andrea Marshall.jpg

Giant Manta Ray (Manta birostris), the largest species of rays, is also on the conservation group's Red List of Threatened Species and classed as "vulnerable".

The last charge as western black rhino is declared extinct

Coco der Mer_Lodoicea maldivica_Jean-Christophe Vie (2).JPG

The majority of endemic flowering plants in the granitic Seychelles islands have been assessed and current studies show that of the 79 endemic species, 77% are at risk of extinction. Most of these are new assessments but one species, the infamous Coco de Mer (Lodoicea maldivica) has been uplisted from Vulnerable to Endangered. Known for its supposed aphrodisiac properties, the Coco de Mer faces threats from fires and illegal harvesting of its kernels.

The last charge as western black rhino is declared extinct

Chinese Water Fir_Glyptostrobus pensilis_Philip Thomas.jpg

The Chinese Water Fir (Glyptostrobus pensilis), which was formerly widespread throughout China and Viet Nam, has been upgraded from Endangered to Critically Endangered.

The last charge as western black rhino is declared extinct

Begonia seychellensis_Justin Gerlach.JPG

The Begonia seychellensis is one of the many tropical plant species at risk.

The last charge as western black rhino is declared extinct

The Blessed Poison Frog_Ranitomeya benedicta_Jason Brown (1).jpg

The Blessed Poison Frog (Ranitomeya benedicta) is currently listed as Vulnerable.

The last charge as western black rhino is declared extinct

Przewalski's Horse_ Equus ferus_Patricia D Moehlman.jpg

The Przewalski's Horse (Equus ferus) is another success story, improving its status from Critically Endangered to Endangered.

Rhinos have been heavily poached to meet demand for their horns in parts of Asia. Some consumers believe rhino horn can cure illnesses if ingested in powder form, although there is no evidence that the horn, made of the same substance as human fingernails, has any medicinal value. Rhino horn is also seen by some buyers as a symbol of status and wealth.

AP

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