The Rhino Conservation conversation has gotten a little quiet over the last year, so here is a reminder on how you can easily get involved.
South Africa – It’s always a good time to do our part for rhino conservation. We need to celebrate these marvellous creatures and always highlight how we can ensure that generations to come don’t have to only see these majestic beasts in photos and books.
Below are five ways in which we can all play our part in making sure that rhinos do not become extinct.
Just swipe your MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet card
This is perhaps one of the easiest ways to support rhino conservation which costs us nothing. All we have to do is remember to swipe our cards at Woolworths and other participating retailers, and if the MyPlanet Rhino Fund is one of your selected beneficiaries, you’ve done your bit! The MyPlanet Rhino Fund started in 2010, raising a meagre R30 in the first month. But today over 54 000 South Africans are helping to give back over R250 000 per month towards rhino protection and rehabilitation.
Buy a Relate bracelet
When you purchase a rhino Relate Bracelet from a participating retailer, a portion of your money goes towards the Endangered Wildlife Trust Rhino Project. This trust helps fund several essential conservation activities such as the deployment of equipment, skilled field staff, anti-poaching and sniffer dogs, a rapid response platform for rhino orphans, and end-user awareness campaigns, to ensure the survival of this iconic animal.
Attend an event
There are a number of fun events happening right across the country that help raise funds for rhino conservation. Just a quick browse through the Quicket website will bring up several events aimed at support rhino and animal conservation.
Keep fit for rhinos
There are a number of cycling events throughout the year, each one giving riders the opportunity to support a worthy cause. You could choose to ride for charity and pick a beneficiary that does fantastic work towards rhino conservation. The Rhino Security Project is on the list of charities for the Cape Town Cycle Tour, while the Wildlife Conservation Trust is on the list for the 947 Ride Joburg race. Keep these in mind when you enter these races!
Educate, educate, educate
Education has the power to change the world. This saying has never been more true when it comes to conservation. It is imperative that we continue to spread the facts about rhino poaching and the importance of rhino conservation. We need to continue to learn about the hard truth – our rhino population is dwindling. Keep reading up about rhino conservation, keep supporting all the initiatives, keep educating the younger generation. Together, we can turn the tide.
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