As South Africans we’re proud of our natural heritage, where our black and white rhinos hold pride of place in our nation’s Big 5. Sadly, poaching gangs are becoming more sophisticated and anti-poaching efforts need to evolve to prevent pilfering. That is why our MyPlanet Rhino Fund was set up, to ensure these endangered giants get an army of supporters to help protect them.
Ocean Giants
1. Population
When poachers kill their mothers, rhino calves are left vulnerable and need to be rescued from the field to survive. At secure bomas they undergo treatment and rehabilitation until they are ready to re-enter a reserve on their own. Keeping them protected means ensuring high-tech security and monitoring of their safety areas.
2. Deaths from polltuion
Some game parks and conservancies have public roads running through them. With the help of new CCTV and LPR cameras, conservation staff can now keep an eye on all access points and take proactive measures.
Pollution
3. How you can make a difference
A new state-of-the-art portable radar and trailer is keeping a watchful eye over hotspots across the country. Working closely with Stop Rhino Poaching we are able to provide even greater cover.
4. K9 sniffer reaction units
To boost numbers of trained dogs to track poachers, tracking dogs are being trained for a new K9 unit in a security cluster. In-depth training of handlers will commence as soon as lockdown regulations allow. This is part of enabling additional capability in the security clusters.
Manatee
5. Specialist vet equipment
Ruthless poachers often leave rhinos maimed and in extreme pain in the veld. Time as in any emergency is vital, to help ensure poached rhino’s survival, vets have been given specialist protective gear and mobile x-ray equipment to assess injuries and give rhinos a fighting chance of survival.
6. Dehorning
Protecting rhino lives often means removing their horns. But it’s an expensive job that requires a helicopter, vet and game capture team. With MyPlanet Rhino Fund’s help, 69 rhinos were dehorned and will now be able to live in peace and help grow new populations.