dinDIGITAL_rinorun_22-08-12

inTRAIL:

Words by Sian O'Keeffe Photos by Kariega Game Reserve

Take a

Stand and Join the

Rhino

Run

Up until March this year,

I was just another South African who was ignorant to the reality of how bad

rhino poaching has become

in South Africa. Like most of us, I heard about it every day in the news, saw the posts on Facebook and Twitter, and while I was aware of it I didn't really comprehend the reality of it until I saw the Facebook campaign that Dr. Will Fowlds started when three rhinos were poached in March at the Kariega Game Reserve, just down the road from where I live in Port Elizabeth.

The graphic video footage he released (http:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8PD-gsghBc) shows him waking up the two surviving rhinos the third rhino was unfortunately found dead at the scene - after being tranquilised by poachers, and you see these majestic animals coming round to discover half of their faces have been hacked off. That really brought home to me the barbarity of what is happening to one of our most precious natural resources – our rhinos.

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I followed all the daily updates he released on Facebook about the progress of the two survivors, known as Thandi and Themba.

However, a couple of weeks later Themba died, his injuries had weakened him to such an extent that he was too weak to pull himself out of a watering hole and so this beautiful animal drowned to death. When I read this, I broke down and cried. I was also filled with an immense anger at the poachers, and it was then that I resolved to try and find a way to do something that could help make a difference.

Being a trail runner has reconnected me with the beauty that is South Africa, and all that it has to offer. The rhino, being one of the Big 5, is an icon for this country, and we simply cannot let them become extinct - especially not for something as selfish as the greed of man! I also realised that as trail runners, we have an inherent obligation to stand up and let our voices be heard when our natural resources are threatened in any way, for without them, our sport would not exist. And so the concept of the Rhino Run was born.

The original idea was to have a single trail run, with the main objective being to raise funds for rhino poaching. After thinking about it a little more, I realised that we have an entire country of trail runners who probably felt the same way I did about this issue, and so the idea grew into what we now have coming up: five trail running events around South Africa. Each event offers a variety of different distances and routes, but will all be held on one day 22 September - international World Rhino Day. My goal is to unite the South African trail running community to help fight this war.

I then approached various race organisers around the country with the idea, and everyone I spoke to jumped at the chance to get involved. Not one of them asked me for any remuneration and are volunteering their time and infrastructure to help me make this event a reality. These guys are just amazing for getting involved so selflessly and helping to make the Rhino Run potentially the biggest trail running event in South Africa. My heartfelt thanks go to: Ugene Nel (Quantum Adventures - CT Rhino Run), Debbie Agenbag (Wildtrail SA - Gauteng Rhino Run), Clive Smart (Ilanga Trails - Mpumalanga Rhino Run), Vaughn Smit (Riverside Sport Trail Club – Durban Rhino Run), and Jane and Dallas Barnardo (Free Spirit Adventures - PE Rhino Run).

The Rhino Run is raising funds for two separate beneficiaries. The first is the Thandi Rhino Injection Fund, set up by Dr Will Fowlds, where the funds raised are used to treat rhinos that survive a poaching attempt. The second is the Endangered Wildlife Trust My Planet Rhino Fund. Money from this is channelled into rhino-related projects that are desperate for funding, including training anti-poaching units in the Kruger and providing equipment to organisations such as the Honorary Rangers.

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2 • DO IT NOW DIGITAL | August 2012_#9

To find out more about the trail running events, visit www.rhinorun.co.za and Facebook pages (www.facebook.com/rhinorun). Easyreg.co.za has offered to set up and run the online registration system for us - also at no charge. I was quickly discovering that this issue is massive, and that South Africans as a whole have had enough and also want to do something about it.

I have also created the Rhino Run Business Challenge as a way for businesses to get on board and support the war on poaching through the Rhino Run event. The business challenge asks businesses to pledge a minimum of R1/runner against our final preregistration list. As we are limiting pre-registrations to 2,500 in total countrywide, the maximum donation a business would be in for is R2,500. This money will be donated by the business directly to the fund they select, after we close off for pre-registrations. Interested business owners can go to www.rhinorun.co.za/businesschallenge. aspx to find out more about this."

Pre-registrations for the Rhino Run close at midnight on Sunday, 9 September 2012. There will be lucky draws at all of the events, and we also have a national lucky draw prize that every entrant stands a chance to win - a weekend away for two, all expenses paid, including game drives, at the Kariega Game Reserve, and you could stand a chance to actually see our inspiration, Thandi the rhino.

If you can't make it to any of the five runs, you can also show your support by donating online via our GivenGain page. •

As I write this, I am amazed at just how people have rallied to support the events around the country. We already have over 700 pre-registered entries, and there's still just over a month to go until World Rhino Day! I am truly thrilled that my simple idea has grown into potentially the biggest trail running event in South Africa, and I can't express how grateful I am to every person that has supported this initiative; from the runners through to the sponsors - thank you for showing that South Africans have it in them to take a stand when our precious resources are threatened!

DINfo box i Rhino Run Business Challenge www.rhinorun.co.za/ businesschallenge.aspx.

Pre-registrations for the Rhino Run online at www.rhinorun.co.za/register.aspx.

GivenGain page http://rhinorun.givengain.org

è Related article:

• Honouring World Oceans Day - (DO IT NOW digital article, June 2012) • Green in Africa - (p. 128, Issue #18) • A Walk on the Wild Side - (p. 140, Issue #17)

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