The poachers were arrested in two incidents on Wednesday.
"In the first incident in the early hours of Wednesday rangers conducting anti-poaching operations encountered three suspected poachers along the Crocodile River - south of the Park," SANParks said in a statement.
A shootout between rangers and the suspected poachers then broke out, with one poacher being wounded.
The three suspects were then arrested. They were found in possession of two hunting rifles, silencers, ammunition and other poaching equipment.
Later in the day on Wednesday, a joint operation between SANParks Rangers and the SAPS resulted in five more suspects being arrested.
