Counter Poaching Efforts

[Lisbeth]

to these girls

[ExFmem]

Thanks to each of these brave ladies for all you are doing for such an important cause.

[nan]

[Richprins]

Brilliant!

[Toko]

http://www.mylowveld.com/blog/rhino-amb ... -children/


Rhino ambassadors bring joy to children
11 Mar, 2015


12 teenage rhino ambassadors from Mpumalanga are taking a stand against rhino poaching by educating children around the Kruger National Park (KNP) on one of the biggest environmental problems facing our country.

After returning from the World Youth Rhino Summit in Durban in September 2014, the studentsfrom Uplands College in Mbombela gathered in 2015 to discuss how best to improve awareness on the plight of the rhino.

“It was decided that the best way to get information out there is to educate children who live in close proximity to our KNP,” said Uplands College marketingmanager Bev du Preez.

Through the school’s SMILE initiative, whereby student-teachers give English lessons to Grade 4 learners from the Maqamela Primary School in Kabokweni township, the studentsaim to deliver the message to 100 children every year.

On interacting with the children to find out how much they knew about wildlife, it was discovered that very few had any knowledge of animals, even the iconic Big 5.

“They were introduced to a life-sized cast of a rhino which was immediately jumped on by the curious children, who were in completewonder at this, for some of them, unknown animal,” said du Preez.

The school invited Chris Daniel, author of Bongi’s Quest- a tale about a young rhino who sets off on a journey to discover what happened to the horn that was taken from his uncle- to present a fun first lesson to the children on 4 March.

To the delight of the children, Daniel dressed up in a rhino suit and spoke for half an hour about poaching and how important rhinos are, before 100 copies of his book, written in Siswati with English translations, were handed out to the learners.

At the end of the lesson, the Grade 4’s signed a pledge to be rhino warriors and inform someone if they ever see or hear anything suspicious about rhino poaching.

“As they boarded their buses, clutching their books, we felt that we had brought joy to the lives of others but, more importantly, we had made a start in saving the lives of our rhinos,” said du Preez.

After the lessons become more structured, Uplands aims to extend the programme to other community schools in the region.
Tswarelo Mxolisi (8) said he enjoys the lessons immensely.

“We have lots of fun here and are learning a lot about animals. My best animal is now the rhino and I didn’t know they were in trouble. I hope we will keep learning about all the animals and protect the Big Five,” said Mxolisi.




Grade 4 pupils learn all about rhino poaching from author Chris Daniel

[Richprins]

Well done, Uplands!

The children will lead, we must just buy time!

[nan]

it is where we have to start... childrens

[Flutterby]

Good work!

[Toko]

http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/ ... QsCc46G_UU

Chopper to help SANParks fight poaching

March 19 2015 at 06:17pm
By SAPA

Johannesburg - The SA National Parks received a new helicopter to improve its fight against rhino poaching, it said on Thursday.

“SANParks is a proud recipient of a brand new Airbus AS-350B3e helicopter with night flying capability made available with funding from the US-based Howard G Buffet Foundation,” the organisation said in a statement.

SANParks chairman Kuseni Dlamini said his organisation got initial funding of R254.8 million in 2014 to support anti-poaching operations in the Kruger National Park.

“This incorporated the establishment of 'Air Mobility' capacity and included the purchase of the first helicopter in September 2014.”

Subsequent to the initial grant funding, the foundation granted SANParks an additional R37.7m to buy a second Airbus AS350 B3e helicopter, with similar night flying capability.

The organisation was using various technologies, including unmanned aerial vehicles, in the park.

According to the Wildlife and Environment Society of SA's website, 49 rhino had been poached so far in 2015.

Sapa

[H. erectus]

All fair and well, short of one pilot dedicated<...