Absa Capital Makes Grant in Support of Rhino Conservation
Rhinoceros conservation effortsrecently received a much needed fillip from Absa Capital via a R200 000 grant to outdoor programmes company Into the Wild Adventures.
The money was used to dart two white rhinos for the purpose of notching the ears – for individual identification purposes – and placing a chip in the shoulder humps of the two animals.
Normally the chip is inserted in the horn of rhinoceros. However, the two rhinos that were darted were fairly young, and hence there was a good chance that the chips would grow out of the horns as they developed.
The operation, which is part of a global project to monitor endangered species and prevent their poaching, was handled by two teams of 10 conservationists each.
“Absa Capital’s contribution in the project is invaluable for an industry which has recently witnessed a drying up of funding,” said Wayne Boardman, owner of Into the Wild Adventures.
“Any contribution made by corporates such as Absa Capital will create awareness on the plight suffered by rhinos in
The insertion of the chip allows for the monitoring of animals’ movements and, in the case of the two white rhinos, for the tracing of animals’ parts - such as rhinos’ horns – sold by poachers on foreign markets. “If rhino horns containing chips are exported in any market which is part of the international project, a simple scan can determine when it comes from. Such areas can be more closely monitored, leading to a curbing of poaching in those areas,” said Boardman.
The insertion of the chip allows for the monitoring of animals’ movements and, in the case of the two white rhinos, for the tracing of animals’ parts - such as rhinos’ horns – sold by poachers on foreign markets.
“If rhino horns containing chips are exported in any market which is part of the international project, a simple scan can determine when it comes from. Such areas can be more closely monitored, leading to a curbing of poaching in those areas,” said Boardman.
