SOUTH AFRICAILLONA CROSS | STEPPES BEYOND

The Rhino

• RHINO HORN IS PERCEIVED TO HAVE MEDICINAL PROPERTIES • MORE PEOPLE CAN NOW AFFORD IT• COMMUNICATION INTO RURAL AREAS IS GOOD SO POACHERS CAN AVOID BEING CAUGHT

What are the issues?

The result.

Why should you care?

• PREDICTIONS ARE THAT RHINO WILL BE EXTINCT BY 2025• LOSS OF KNOWLEDGE, DNA, SPECIES DIVERSITY AND INTRICATE PART OF THE ECOSYSTEM • ELEVATING THE RHINO TO THE STATUS OF MYTH – UP THERE WITH THE DODO

STEPPES OFFERS A TOUR TO SOUTH AFRICA WITH AN EMPHASIS ON EXPLORATION, WILDERNESS, EDUCATION AND MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL , THERE IS A DIRECT INFLUENCE ON THE PROTECTION OF RHINO. A HANDS ON APPROACH .

Steppes can make a difference

• FLYING OVERNIGHT TO JOHANNESBURG THEN DRIVING TO GREATER KRUGER PARK

South Africa

Visits to various projects around the Kruger Park

DAY AND NIGHT SAFARI – TO SEE ANIMALS IN THE WILD LOCAL CONSERVATION PROJECTS – PLIGHT OF THE SMALLER SPECIES

THE REPTILE CENTRE – HOW THE LITTLE GUYS FIT IN THE MOHOLOHOLO RESCUE CENTRE - LEARNING CLOSE UP

ONE OF THE MORNINGS ON THE RHINO CONSERVATION TOUR OFFERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PAY FOR AND BE INVOLVED IN THE CAPTURE, MARKING AND RESEARCH OF RHINO

The exciting day arrives

It is early morning with walk up before dawn. The team is waiting and the vet allocates tasks and explains the process.

The vet offers explanations and hands out tasks

The helicopter arrives and the team follow the rhino to dart it

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EVERYONE HAS A TASK THAT IS HANDS ON AND VITAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THE DARTING

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The darted rhino

• A CHIP IS PLACED IN THE HORN AND UNDER THE SKIN• OINTMENT IS PLACED IN THE EYES • DNA SAMPLES ARE TAKEN

Can’t get any more hands on than this

• ONLY AN IDENTIFIABLE RHINO CAN BE IDENTIFIED • THESE NOTCHES ALLOW ALL RANGERS TO IDENTIFY THE ANIMAL IN THE BUSH

WHILST ON PATROL

The ears are “notched”

REGARDLESS OF LANGUAGE OR EDUCATION, EACH RANGER CAN COMPLETE THE FORM BY COMPLETING THE DIAGRAMS AND THIS WILL BE MATCHED WITH THE MASTER-LIST.

Monitoring rhino in the field

The antidote is administered and the rhino gains consciousness

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No harm done

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EACH STEPPES CLIENT PAYS PART OF THE ENTIRE COST OF DARTING A RHINO – THE VET FEES, THE HELICOPTER AND FUEL AND THE RANGER STAFF ON THE GROUND.

IF THE CLIENT WAS NOT THERE, THIS RHINO WOULD NOT BE DARTED – THE COST £2,400 PER DARTING.

Happy vet, happy clients