After a gun battle in Charara National park near Sanyati Gorge, park rangers shot and killed an elephant poacher, arrested three accomplices - and recovered an AK-47 rifle.

While out on patrol, two rangers stationed at Charara Safari Area and Tashinga National Parks came across the carcass of an elephant, who appeared to have been recently killed. As their regular rounds did not turn up any suspects, they decided to wait in ambush near the elephant’s carcass.

Parks director-general, Dr. Morris Mutsambiwa, explained in an allAfrica.com report that waiting for the poachers to return to the scene of the crime paid off.

They laid an ambush near the carcass and at about 7:00 PM, they heard a motorised boat approaching and four people disembarked from the boat and headed straight to the place where the elephant carcass was.

Park rangers ordered the poachers to surrender - but the poachers refused and fired shots at the rangers.

One of the poachers was armed with an AK-47 rifle. The rangers then challenged the poachers to surrender, but when they resisted, they opened fire …

Dr. Mutsabiwa said that one of the poachers was killed instantly, and that all four of the poachers (Billy Kanwell, Amonga Daniel, Victor Sibangwe, Robert Musonda Mwenda) were from Zambia. Kanwell was the individual who was killed.

In addition to the AK-47 rifle, park rangers recovered 300 rounds of ammunition, 365 kilograms of elephant meat, and the boat used by the poachers.

Source: GO Media - Written by Rhishja Larson - Image source: Wikimedia Commons