Punters to bet on saving the rhino

Durban - Top horseracing personalities have joined the fight against rhino poaching in KwaZulu-Natal by donating hundreds of thousands of rand to a race meeting on March 29. What started as a small idea to assist with a massive issue has gained huge support, with the funds going towards Project Rhino KZN. Bill Lambert, Gold Circle’s ambassador, said the initial fund-raising target of R150 000 had been surpassed “by a long way” through sponsorships. The money is for the Gold Circle Racing to Save the Rhino race meet at Clairwood Racecourse. Project Rhino KZN was launched on World Rhino Day, September 22, 2011, bringing together a provincial government conservation body, private and community-owned reserves, rhino owners, leading conservation NGOs and anti-poaching security specialists. Kevin McCann of Wildlands Conservation Trust, one of the founding members of the project, said the collaborative stakeholder approach was making inroads in combating poaching. This year there have been 11 rhino poached in KZN and another 172 across the country.

McCann said another key factor in the project’s success was the ZAP (Zululand Anti-Poaching)-Wing aerial surveillance and reaction involving four aircraft – two light aircraft and two helicopters – which had dramatically helped with co-ordination and call-out response. McCann said the growth in wealth of the middle-class in the Far East, particularly in China and Vietnam, had resulted in a spike in demand for rhino horn. McCann said global syndicates, with “shopping lists” emanating from the Far East, were behind the poaching. “It’s not necessarily the locals who are involved in the poaching, although payment is made for information about where the rhinos are and when the patrols happen,” he said. “The majority of arrests have been Mozambicans. It’s ideal for them because of the access to Kruger (National Park) and then KwaZulu-Natal.”

He said the South African government was addressing this by signing memoranda of understanding with foreign governments. And some countries, such as the US, were putting emphasis on decreasing wildlife crime.

The Kingsley Holgate Foundation had also partnered with the project with its representatives travelling through Mozambique, Swaziland, Kruger and Zululand to speak with local communities.

To align with the horseracing event, a competition to win a three-night stay for 10 people at Bayete Zulu Game Lodge at Zululand Rhino Reserve has been offered. If the winner is at Clairwood Racecourse on race day, when the lucky entry is drawn, Gold Circle will add R5 000 to the prize to assist with catering at the reserve.

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