最高の,を越す African 野性生物 park looks to villages to stop poachers

KRUGER NATIONAL PARK, South Africa (AP) ― On the 辛勝する/優位 of South Africa's largest 野性生物 reserve, the line between poacher and park 特別奇襲隊員 can be uncomfortably thin. いつかs, Marianne de Kock watches it disappear.

She 監督するs young South Africans during a yearlong 特別奇襲隊員 training and, on the final day, she looks 卒業生(する)s in the 注目する,もくろむ.

"Have you ever poached?" she asks. Some 収容する/認める they have. "Give me three poachers' 指名するs," she says. And they do.

In this photo taken Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016, recruits at the Southern African Wildlife College on the edge of Kruger National Park in South Africa explain con...

In this photo taken Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016, 新採用するs at the Southern African 野性生物 College on the 辛勝する/優位 of Kruger 国家の Park in South Africa explain 条件s in the wild during their 試みる/企てるs to 跡をつける poachers. As teams of poachers stalk rhinos and elephants in the park, 野性生物 公式の/役人s are turning to nearby communities to help stop the 虐殺(する) by using 地元の knowledge to 阻止する poachers, not join them. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)

As teams of poachers stalk rhinos and elephants in Kruger 国家の Park, nearly the size of イスラエル, 野性生物 公式の/役人s are turning to nearby communities to help stop the 虐殺(する).

The carcasses of more than 450 poached rhinos have been 設立する in the park between January and the end of August, and elephant poaching is growing. Both are 最高の,を越す 問題/発行するs at the 会議/協議会 of the 条約 on 貿易(する) in 危うくするd 種類 of Wild Fauna and Flora, or CITES, which ends Wednesday in Johannesburg.

The 目的(とする) is to use 地元の knowledge to 阻止する poachers, not join them. In the two South African 州s where the park is 位置を示すd, Mpumalanga and Limpopo, the 公式の/役人 失業率s were 29 パーセント and 18 パーセント 早期に this year.

While 井戸/弁護士席-off tourists with expensive gear bounce through the park on game 運動s and stay at upscale 宿泊するs, their money often doesn't make it to 村人s. Poaching becomes an attraction.

At the Southern African 野性生物 College on the 辛勝する/優位 of the park, a new 政府-基金d 職業 program is training 119 young men and women "living in marginalized areas" to become field 特別奇襲隊員s and guides in 野性生物 reserves that are often 近づく their homes.

"You get the poorest of the poor," de Kock said. Some who 適用する have never heard of 野性生物 自然保護. They just want a 職業.

The applicants first must pass a week-long, 軍の-style 選択 course that 含むs not 存在 許すd to sleep more than two hours at a time. By day three, people are dropping out.

The trainers have learned to 位置/汚点/見つけ出す 調印するs of 決意, such as the 希望に満ちたs who arrive in borrowed sneakers a size or more too small. Day by day, pieces of the shoes are 削減(する) away to make room for fresh blisters.

"Those people are the 質 that we want," said one trainer, Excellent McCabe.

Those selected are taught how to 跡をつける, shoot, navigate and live in the bush, いつかs lying 偽装するd in the grass for days at a time.

"Kids once learned to 跡をつける from a very young age," said Gawie Lindeque, a 長,率いる trainer and guide at the 野性生物 college. "The bush is not their school anymore." The training (土地などの)細長い一片s away basic 慰安s, such as electricity, and 再提出するs nature 技術s. One lesson sends 訓練生s into the bush to collect animals' dung.

As new 特別奇襲隊員s, the 卒業生(する)s will earn about 6,500 ランド ($475) a month. No training is foolproof; there have been 事例/患者s of Kruger 特別奇襲隊員s and park staff 伴う/関わるd in poaching in the past.

"One is not looking after money, just 保護するing nature," said one of the 28 women in the program, Dzunisani Ndhlovu. The tall 27-year-old from Limpopo said there are "too many poachers" in her home community who don't know the importance of 野性生物, and she called the 職業 of park 特別奇襲隊員 very challenging.

It's also dangerous. Unlike in 隣接地の Botswana, 特別奇襲隊員s in South Africa cannot shoot poachers on sight and have to 証明する self-弁護. Poachers have even 発射 at Kruger 国家の Park's ヘリコプターs as they ざっと目を通す the 広大な, 乾燥した,日照りの landscape for 侵入者s.

"Better to shoot first" in a 対決 with an 武装した poacher, said one 上級の trainer, Wouter Combrinck. "Poachers, they don't care. As long as they get to that rhino, they will shoot."

In August, the 狙撃 of a 嫌疑者,容疑者/疑うd poacher by Kruger 特別奇襲隊員s 始める,決める off days of 抗議するs by people in the 嫌疑者,容疑者/疑うd poacher's nearby village. 燃やすing tires were used to 封鎖する a road, and tourists were advised to 避ける one of the park's gates.

For park 特別奇襲隊員s from 地元の communities, the 危険 from both poachers and 地元の sympathizers can follow them home.

"Some, we just 会合,会う in the town," 知恵 Makhubele said of poachers. He pretended to duck. "I'm just hiding myself. But my work is my work."

The 28-year-old from a nearby village used to 在庫/株 供給(する)s at a game 宿泊する. A year ago, after 完全にするing his 特別奇襲隊員 training, he became a 十分な-time trainer and handler of poacher-跡をつけるing dogs. He received a gun and the 当局 to 手錠 poachers until the police arrive.

"I'd die for this," Makhubele said of his work in 自然保護. "This is our 遺産/遺物. We have to look after it."

___

Associated 圧力(をかける) writer Christopher Torchia and videographer Renee Graham in Johannesburg 与える/捧げるd.

In this photo taken Friday, Sept. 30, 2016, dog handler, Wisdom Makhubele is attacked by a dog during a simulated tracking exercise at the Southern Afri
can W...

In this photo taken Friday, Sept. 30, 2016, dog handler, 知恵 Makhubele is attacked by a dog during a ふりをするd 跡をつけるing 演習 at the Southern African 野性生物 College on the 辛勝する/優位 of Kruger 国家の Park in South Africa. As teams of poachers stalk rhinos and elephants in the park, 野性生物 公式の/役人s are turning to nearby communities to help stop the 虐殺(する) by using 地元の knowledge to 阻止する poachers, not join them. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)

In this photo taken Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016, a recruit marches during drills at the Southern African Wildlife College on the edge of Kruger National Park in S...

In t his photo taken Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016, a 新採用する marches during 演習s at the Southern African 野性生物 College on the 辛勝する/優位 of Kruger 国家の Park in South Africa. As teams of poachers stalk rhinos and elephants in the park, 野性生物 公式の/役人s are turning to nearby communities to help stop the 虐殺(する) by using 地元の knowledge to 阻止する poachers, not join them. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)

In this photo taken Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016, a recruit displays a camouflage technique at the Southern African Wildlife College on the edge of Kruger National...

In this photo taken Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016, a 新採用する 陳列する,発揮するs a 偽装する technique at the Southern African 野性生物 College on the 辛勝する/優位 of Kruger 国家の Park in South Africa, where young men and women are trained to become field 特別奇襲隊員s and guides. As teams of poachers stalk rhinos and elephants in the park, 野性生物 公式の/役人s are turning to nearby communities to help stop the 虐殺(する) by using 地元の knowledge to 阻止する poachers, not join them. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)

In this photo taken Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016, recruits being trained to become field rangers and guides salute during drills at the Southern African Wildlife C...

In this photo taken Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016, 新採用するs 存在 trained to become field 特別奇襲隊員s and guides salute during 演習s at the Southern African 野性生物 College on the 辛勝する/優位 of Kruger 国家の Park in South Africa. As teams of poachers stalk rhinos and elephants in the park, 野性生物 公式の/役人s are turning to nearby communities to help stop the 虐殺(する) by using 地元の knowledge to 阻止する poachers, not join them. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)

In this photo taken Friday, Sept. 30, 2016, an elephant walks through the bush at the Southern African Wildlife College on the edge of Kruger National Park i...

In this photo taken Friday, Sept. 30, 2016, an elephant walks through the bush at the Southern African 野性生物 College on the 辛勝する/優位 of Kruger 国家の Park in South Africa. As teams of poachers stalk rhinos and elephants in the park, 野性生物 公式の/役人s are turning to nearby communities to help stop the 虐殺(する) by using 地元の knowledge to 阻止する poachers, not join them. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)

In this photo taken Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016, a rhino grazes in the bush on the edge of Kruger National Park in South Africa. As teams of poachers stalk rhinos...

In this photo taken Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016, a rhino grazes in the bush on the 辛勝する/優位 of Kruger 国家の Park in South Africa. As teams of poachers stalk rhinos and e lephants in the park, 野性生物 公式の/役人s are turning to nearby communities to help stop the 虐殺(する) by using 地元の knowledge to 阻止する poachers, not join them. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)

In this photo taken Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016, recruits stand to attention during inspection of their tents at the Southern African Wildlife College on the edge...

In this photo taken Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016, 新採用するs stand to attention during 査察 of their テントs at the Southern African 野性生物 College on the 辛勝する/優位 of Kruger 国家の Park in South Africa. As teams of poachers stalk rhinos and elephants in the park, 野性生物 公式の/役人s are turning to nearby communities to help stop the 虐殺(する) by using 地元の knowledge to 阻止する poachers, not join them. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)

In this photo taken Friday, Sept. 30, 2016, dog handler, Wisdom Makhubele is attacked by a dog during a simulated tracking exercise at the Southern African W...

In this photo taken Friday, Sept. 30, 2016, dog handler, 知恵 Makhubele is attacked by a dog during a ふりをするd 跡をつけるing 演習 at the Southern African 野性生物 College on the 辛勝する/優位 of Kruger 国家の Park in South Africa. As teams of poachers stalk rhinos and elephants in the park, 野性生物 公式の/役人s are turning to nearby communities to help stop the 虐殺(する) by using 地元の knowledge to 阻止する poachers, not join them. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)

In this photo taken Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016, rhinos graze in the bush on the edge of Kruger National Park in South Africa. As teams of poachers stalk rhinos a...

In this photo taken Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016, rhinos graze in the bush on the 辛勝する/優位 of Kruger 国家の Park in South Africa. As teams of poachers stalk rhinos and elephants in the park, 野性生物 公式の/役人s are turning to nearby communities to help stop the 虐殺(する) by using 地元の knowledge to 阻止する poachers, not join them. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)

In this photo taken Friday, Sept. 30, 2016, a dog used for tracking poachers waits in his cage at the Southern African Wildlife College on the edge of Kruger...

In this photo taken Friday, Sept. 30, 2016, a dog used for 跡をつけるing poachers waits in his cage at the Southern African 野性生物 College on the 辛勝する/優位 of Kruger 国家の Park in South Africa. As teams of poachers stalk rhinos and elephants in the park, 野性生物 公式の/役人s are turning to nearby communities to help stop the 虐殺(する) by using 地元の knowledge to 阻止する poachers, not join them. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)

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