Nine Arrested in Connection with Poisoning Elephants with Cyanide in Zimbabwe

Several people have been arrested in connection with the cyanide poisoning of more than 80 elephants in Zimbabwe this month and other suspects are on trial in connection with the crime, according to local media.

At least 87 elephants have died of poisoning this month at Hwange National Park, Africa's third largest wildlife sanctuary. Poachers had removed the tusks on each one of the carcasses.

Wednesday, three poachers were convicted and sentenced to at least 15 years in prison for the illegal possession of ivory and their administering of a toxic substance. The men were identified as 42-year-old Robert Maphosa, Thabani Zondo, 24, and Diyane Tshuma, 25.

The three were among a total of nine arrested in connection with the poisoning of elephants in Hwange National Park, which is in western Zimbabwe.

A provincial magistrate sentenced Tshuma to 16 years in prison for poisoning elephants with cyanide. Zondo and Maphosa were sentenced to 15 years, according the AFP.

Tshuma, an apparent ringleader, was ordered $600,000 in restitution to the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority by the end of the year. Zondo was fined an additional $200,000, the AFP reported.

Thursday in a Zimbabwean court, it was alleged that two additional poachers, Clever Khumalo, 44, Sipho Mafu, 54, have been involved in the illegal trade since 2008 and that they have been paying bribes to corrupt police officers to get away with their crimes, according to the local news site New Zimbabwe.

In addition to elephants, the cyanide has killed a variety of other animals, including dozens vultures which fed on the carcasses of the dead elephants.

Only 50 park rangers are employed to patrol Hwange National Park, which at 5,656 square miles (14,650 square kilometers), is an area larger than Qatar or Jamaica.

For the park to be totally secure, at least 500 rangers would be necessary.