Such rules are just a “red rag” for poachers to take out their gear and start harvesting. Who can really blame them, especially if the “meat” thus obtained is destined for the family table? This was the “traditional” motive for the spotlights, although I regret their unethical behaviour – although I suspect that their main motive nowadays is commercial, i.e. the supply of illegal game to the restaurant industry. We`ve all heard stories about the mythical full moon, werewolves and dark creatures that appear during its blinding light. Unfortunately, they are not mythical and they are not werewolves, they are deadly poachers. Poachers love the full moon because it allows them to move around and see all night without artificial light. Protected by darkness and without flashlights that could reveal their position. I spent many moonlit summer nights with my father and his brother (my uncle Ken) dragging shrimp with a veal fillet stretched between two tomato poles. My father also loved the “drifting” oysters that visit the coastal country of the lake, no doubt it was then and it is illegal to take them now, but I pulled a lot of them out of the water up to my waist to feel them with my toes bare. Some were almost as big as a plate of bread and butter.
How he adored it! I remember shooting opossums into trees as a kid with .22 shorts (they`re the quietest – and cheapest). The technique we used was to walk under the tree so that the full moon ran along the branches until we noticed one, and then it was an easy thing to blink at it. They skin them like a rabbit, the one-minute job. It was good food too. I`m amazed that people here don`t add a few brush tails to the pot (they are the plague in our cities) – as they do in New Zealand! In some places, “Possum Pie” is on the menu – “Straight from the side of the road to you” is written on the signs! Our thoughts during this time of full moon are with the brave rangers who dedicate their lives and go into the night to protect our wildlife. As we approach the full moon on September 6, our partners in South Africa are preparing for an increase in poaching activities. Each full moon means a high alert for rangers and anti-poaching teams. Instead of contemplating the beauty of the moon, they will be on high alert during patrols during the nights of the coming week. Hunters, as well as other creatures of the night, love and adore the full moon because it allows them to move easily and see clearly, without the help of artificial light that could reveal their location. That`s why every full moon means a red alert for inspectors patrolling parks and reserves in protected areas in the region. It is at this time of the month that anti-poaching teams multiply their patrols for a few days to better fight against poachers. So the next time you`re fascinated by the magic of the full moon, remember that this euphoria of light poses a threat to our most vulnerable species.
As the number of protected species continues to decline, it is more important than ever to support enforcement teams that are relentlessly fighting poaching. This is the time in the lunar cycle when anti-poaching rangers call it a “poached moon,” a few days before, during, and after the full moon. The night sky is illuminated by opaque white moonlight, making rhinos more visible to poachers. We are already seeing this worrying trend of more and more rhinos in the full moon cycle. The nonprofit branch of the tactical unit, which specializes in rhino protection and anti-poaching, along with several other ground crews, are working 24/7 to keep up. The tactical unit supports all teams when there is action on site. This can range from roadblocks/vehicle checks to “spoor” (poachers` tracks), car chases, crime scene/necropsy investigations, shaded rhinos and bush patrols. Due to the variety of issues that anti-poaching rangers deal with, there is a need for a lot of equipment. Currently, the non-profit tactical branch of Protrack needs a few very specific articles. The team has only $1,800 less to fly a Bantam plane.
This will draw the eyes to the sky whenever there is information about the movement of poachers. It will also help rangers in moments of real pursuit, team communication, and searching for injured rhinos. This is an important part of the battle, in which all the teams of the greater Kruger region are absent. He left now (when I was only 13) those 55 years this week, but I still miss him a lot. Fortunately, I have these many memories, such as him sitting by a moonlit fire, wire, his face shining with the hot coals, grabbing a handful of shrimp from the 4-gallon drum bubbling over the fire, and shooting them as fast as he could. Perhaps he finished his meal with a cup of Billy tea and a harmonica song – the two brothers played “by ear”. I wish I had inherited that ability. Ken never bothered to peel his shrimp: he ate them whole. You can do this with small fat backs, just like you can eat whole sardines. The poachers of yesteryear have endowed us with so many jewels of wisdom such as “Stolen fruit tastes better”, “Small fish are sweet”, “Put meat on the table”, “Feed the family”, etc. Traditionally, the “poached moon” in Britain is the first full moon after the autumnal equinox, when poachers could go out and harvest injured deer left behind by mass hunting in autumn.
The bright moonlight would allow them to see their careers and navigate the darkness undetected. Here in southern Victoria, such a “poached moon” would be a full moon in late March, early April. It`s also true that it`s usually the perfect time to start hunting game here, especially sambar deer. Many creatures (ducks, for example) must be harvested if they do not want to suffer cruelly and starve in winter. In recent days, we have observed a beautiful full moon that has fascinated us with its delicate beauty and shimmering light. Many of us do not know that this star is the only natural satellite on planet Earth and that it not only offers us spectacular views at night, but also has a great gravitational influence that leads to different seasons and constant changes of tides in the aquatic world. The moon is surrounded not only by scientific and astronomical foundations, but also by a mythical celestial body in which there are many stories of werewolves and dark creatures appearing in its blinding light. Unfortunately, these numbers are not mythical, these demons who go out to destroy at the full moon are deadly. For inspectors, the full moon period is known as the “dark period.” Patrols are intensified to locate and stop attempted crimes committed by poachers. After dark, ground units position themselves at their patrol posts, where they remain on alert throughout the night.
At first light, they check the effectiveness of night operations and confirm the absence of incidents or losses. During this period, all attention is brief and all means of patrol are indispensable, but without a doubt, the most important tool is the commitment and bravery of patrollers, who patrol mainly in very large areas, with difficult access and with the constant risk of being attacked by wild animals or poachers. Our partners Flying for Rhino & Conservation Trust reported a devastating full moon period in June, during which a record number of rhinos were lost during that time. The days are cool enough that you can walk all day without breaking a sweat, and the nights are simply such that a fire is a treat without the bitter cold we sometimes find at the end of winter. Mind you, I`ve generally noticed that you rarely see a deer during the day when the night is supposed to be a full moon. For crepuscular animals, moonlight is twilight. It is also very difficult (aside from the fact that it is illegal) to shoot a deer in the moonlight. I spent many, many nights in the moonlight hunting or fishing.
In fact, it was a very happy life. When I was a child, it was (still) legal to take and sell the skins of many (native) animals – not just rabbits, as today. If it wasn`t legal, we might not know (or care) anyway. Somehow, we escaped from prison anyway. For us, the period of the full moon is known as the “dark period”. We are stepping up air patrols and keeping our planes in the sky until the last light to detect or deter poachers. After dark, ground units take up positions and patrol throughout the night. At first light, we are back in the sky, scanning and following all the advice that arrives during the night.- Pilot, F4R With the full moon, we are more vigilant than usual. During this time, we will work on well-known routes and play in new locations. We use both technology and “old school” patrol styles. We try to mix things up and not follow routines. If we change tactics, poachers will do the same and it can force them to make mistakes.