Plea to ban silencers as rhinos die

But some game ranchers see value in eliminating the ‘boom’ of a rifle

THE decimation of Tyityaba Private Reserve’s rhinos from 30 to two underlines a plea from its owners to ban rifle silencers.

However, there is argument over the term “silencer”, with game rancher John Rance saying the term “suppressor” was a more accurate and helpful name for a device attached to the barrel of a heavy-calibre, high-velocity rifle.

Frank Krull of Tyityaba said “rifle silencers” were to blame for poachers slaughtering rhinos in silence.

Rance said the sonic boom of rifles, even when used for culling to maintain the ecological balance or legal hunting, caused distress among wildlife.

Krull said yesterday: “We estimate that we are down to two rhinos from 30 which have been poached over the last 16 months.”

Of those, he said seven were wiped out this year alone.

In his written plea to the Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism (Dedeat) on Wednesday, Krull, representing the Krull Group, called for the department “to have silencers deemed illegal for all firearms with immediate effect. This will have a positive result against poaching”.

Jaap Pienaar, senior manager of compliance and enforcement in the department, was sympathetic but said there was nothing in environmental law which dealt with the use of suppressors or silencers.

Pienaar said there was “another view” where suppressors were seen as a useful game management tool.

“They cause little disturbance during the selective removal of game without the bangs,” said Pienaar.

Pienaar said the anti-poaching campaign would have to take into account the many ways in which poachers committed their crimes.

Game rancher John Rance said that although the Krulls had “experienced a horrific poaching incident on their rhino” he had to disagree with their views on banning suppressors.

Rance argued in favour of suppressors saying:

● Banning suppressors from lawful game management would be as ineffective as banning firearms from being used by law-abiding firearm owners to combat crime;

● Suppressors removed the “boom”, making game viewing and identifying old animals easier for harvesting;

● “Problem animals such as excessive predator numbers” were easier to control;

● “Wounded game can be followed up and despatched (put down) more easily when not disturbed to the extent they are when shot at with a sonic boom”;

● Harvesting of game in numbers on fully stocked game ranches was made easier and more efficient;

● Suppressors reduced the damaging effect of sonic boom on a shooter’s hearing and;

● The reduced rifle recoil resulted in greater accuracy and fewer wounded or meat-damaged animals.

Rance said: “We have fitted suppressors to all rifles used for game management purposes and can attest to the positive impact it has made in game management practices on the two game ranches we own and operate under CAE (certificate of adequate enclosure) certification and in the anti-poaching operations conducted over the forest areas managed by our companies in the Amathole mountain range.”

Krull said: “I believe that a rifle used for hunting should make the ‘BOOM’ as the boom is part of hunting and gives the animal a sporting chance.” —