Hundreds rally against animal poaching

Hundreds of people gathered in the Sandton area of Johannesburg on Saturday (October 3) to take part in a protest march against the continued slaughter of African animals.

The march is part of an international initiative, the Global March for Elephants, Rhinos and Lions, expected to be held in over 100 cities around the world over the weekend of October 3 and 4.

Activists taking part in the marches aim to raise awareness about poaching, which has had a devastating impact on the animal populations of Africa.

“We are saying ‘No’ to extinction, we are telling the world, South Africa and all the countries in the world we’ve had enough of this poaching, it’s time stop because we need these animals, we can’t go on any more with the poaching, it’s not possible,” Kelcy Hunt, a participant of the march said.

Carrying banners and posters, Johannesburg protesters chanted slogans demanding new laws introducing tougher penalties and prison sentences for convicted poachers and regulation that would curb trophy hunting.

Poaching has surged in the last few years across Africa, where gangs kill elephants and rhinos to feed Asian demand for ivory and horns for use in folk medicines.

The killing of Cecil, an iconic lion in Zimbabwe by an American hunter earlier this year has sparked a debate over trophy hunting and calls for tougher measures to protect African wildlife.