Three suspected rhino poachers (næsehorns-krybskytter) have been shot and killed by rangers in South Africa’s Kruger National Park, BBC online reports Monday. Security forces confronted a gang of five at the well-known tourist destination. Another member of the group was wounded. Rangers say they recovered a firearm, ammunition and other tools used for rhino poaching from the scene. It is the latest in a series of attempts to reverse the rising trade. Demand for rhino horn has soared in recent years – fuelled by the belief in parts of Asia that it has medicinal properties. The black market price of rhino horn is now in the region of a stunning 55.000 US dollar (ca. 300.000 DKR) a kilogram. Last year, South Africa recorded more than 300 cases of poaching. Despite the prospect of high-level prosecutions, the financial rewards for criminals are helping to fuel the trade
