NEW PROJECT TO SAVE THE RHINO

NEW PROJECT TO SAVE THE RHINO   

 

Samara Private Game Reserve www.samara.co.za  is situated on 70,000 acres of lush, indigenous wild landscape set among the Sneeuberg Mountains in the Eastern Cape’s Great Karoo. The family-owned reserve offers is surrounded by an amphitheatre of mountains, where wildlife roams again. But conservation remains a central issue as some species are still very much endangered.

 

 

Poaching – a Growing Problem

Africa is in the midst of a major conservation crisis as a result of a huge surge in poaching. Each 15 minutes an elephant is slaughtered and every nine hours a rhino is poached. The situation is now extremely grave, affecting not only the long term survival of these animals but also the communities protecting them too. This year, a predicted 900 rhinos will be poached in South Africa (up from 13 rhinos in 2007). The black market value for horn is staggering, currently fetching more than gold and platinum.

 

 

The Reputation of Rhino Horn

Prohibited in international trade, the rhino horn has been highly prized in Asia, where it is believed to be a cure for cancer and other ills, and had been used in Chinese traditional medicine over the millennia. In Vietnam, the horn is increasingly used in a manner similar to a recreational drug, such as the ‘rhino wine’, to improve male sexual performance. Also, rhino horn is used in the Middle East to make ornamental and ceremonial daggers.

 

We Need Your Help

High profile organisations and individuals are lending their substantial influence to try to end poaching via stricter law enforcement, as well as aiming to decrease demand through education.  Participants include governments, NGO’s, IGO’s, charities, high profile individuals such as Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, UK; Yao Ming, a retired Chinese professional basketball player and an iconic figure in China; and David Beckham, the world renowned footballer.

 

Download ‘The Last Rhino’ Infographic www.samara.co.za/pdf/Rhino_Info.pdf