In January I had the valuable and and rewarding experience of volunteering in South Africa with Transfrontier Africa (TFA). A team of four staff and seven volunteers like me worked on projects in Balule Reserve focussed on the conservation and protection of (mainly) elephants and rhinos in the western part of Kruger National Park.
We saw the important work TFA are doing to manage the ecosystem in as much of a 'hands-off' natural way as possible, the constant fight against poaching - now rife in this part of the African continent - with the Anti-Poaching Black Mamba Unit, and the essential research the team carry out on the diverse and beautiful flora and fauna of the bush.
One of the biggest and newest projects TFA are working on at the moment is the use of drones in locating and mapping unwelcome, illegal and dangerous human visitors to the reserves. These poachers are especially interested in rhino horns which can get tens of thousands of Euros on the black market. The bone is used in "medicine", never proven to have the aphrodisiac effect it claims. A project like this costs a lot of money maintain - think staff, Land Rover maintenance, fuel, dogs, training etc. etc.
This got some friends of mine (volunteers I met while volunteering in South Africa) thinking hard on their return to the UK. This wonderful Cambridgeshire couple instigated a fundraising idea in aid of TFA and Rhino Mercy, and I've since joined their enthusiastic and creative team of passionate wildlife lovers to put together an event you cannot afford to miss.
We saw the important work TFA are doing to manage the ecosystem in as much of a 'hands-off' natural way as possible, the constant fight against poaching - now rife in this part of the African continent - with the Anti-Poaching Black Mamba Unit, and the essential research the team carry out on the diverse and beautiful flora and fauna of the bush.
One of the biggest and newest projects TFA are working on at the moment is the use of drones in locating and mapping unwelcome, illegal and dangerous human visitors to the reserves. These poachers are especially interested in rhino horns which can get tens of thousands of Euros on the black market. The bone is used in "medicine", never proven to have the aphrodisiac effect it claims. A project like this costs a lot of money maintain - think staff, Land Rover maintenance, fuel, dogs, training etc. etc.
This got some friends of mine (volunteers I met while volunteering in South Africa) thinking hard on their return to the UK. This wonderful Cambridgeshire couple instigated a fundraising idea in aid of TFA and Rhino Mercy, and I've since joined their enthusiastic and creative team of passionate wildlife lovers to put together an event you cannot afford to miss.
The Event
Newmarket Rhino Bash
Friday 6th September 2013
Tables of up to 8 people
Tickets are £35 - now on sale!
At a venue near Newmarket, Cambridgeshire (confirmed with ticket purchase)
Newmarket Rhino Bash
Friday 6th September 2013
Tables of up to 8 people
Tickets are £35 - now on sale!
At a venue near Newmarket, Cambridgeshire (confirmed with ticket purchase)
We are holding a hog roast dinner and charity auction, a presentation from Dr. Craig Spencer (who heads the TFA project), tombola, all to a soundtrack of African music.
Auction items include: A week's stay at Gleneagles... A mini iPad... Jamie's Italian Restaurant Vouchers... A week's stay at a Kruger reserve lodge... and so much more! You need to be here!
Remember, this is all in aid of protecting these amazing, highly threatened animals. Rhinos are being killed at the rate of one every day, and they will not be around much longer unless projects like those being run by TFA are supported. Nabbing these parasitic poachers with the use of modern technology is key to the species survival.
Tickets are £35 and are selling fast. You can grab a HOT ticket by visiting the Rhino Bash website or visit us at the Facebook event page.
Visit the official Newmarket's Rhino Bash website to find out more about the project.
I hope to see you there!
*****
If you can't make the Newmarket bash or are based in the North why not attend Pennies for Eles 1st Annual Dinner 'Party' on Sat 21st September at the fabulous Hard Days Night Hotel in Liverpool? P4E has been supporting TFA's elephant research and conservation work since it was set up 3 years ago by another former volunteer who was also inspired by the passion and determination of the guys at TFA and wanted to help - volunteering there does that to you! Tickets available now and more info can be found on the on the P4E Facebook page. The funding's all going to the same place!
Thanks for reading. I'm back to writing related posts next week, I promise!
Lou x
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