March for 2 of the Big 5

MOKOPANE – More than 70 people took part in the Rhino Orphanage’s second annual Global March for Elephants and Rhinos at Legend Golf & Safari Resort last Saturday.

The people marched in an attempt to raise awareness and to pressure governments to put more measures in place to stop the cruel poaching of rhinos and elephants.

The result of poaching is the extinction of these magnificent animals.

Over 35 000 elephants and more than a 1 000 rhinos are killed each year to satisfy the demand of Asian markets.

The animals are hunted for their valuable ivory that is used for traditional medicine and as a status symbol.

International guests, personnel, as well as young and old people all marched with banners and drums to raise their voices for the wildlife that has no voice, in the hope that their heritage will be protected.

The march concluded with a speech by Arrie van Deventer, founder of the Rhino Orphanage, and the viewing of a collection of videos of the baby rhinos that are being looked after at the orphanage.

The Rhino Orphanage is a registered non-profit company.

The orphanage is the first specialist, dedicated, non-commercial centre that cares for orphaned or injured baby rhinos with the only aim of releasing them back into the wild.

It was created as a result of a lack of a specialised place for rearing baby rhinos left orphaned as a consequence of the current poaching crisis which feeds the illegal trade in horns.