In 1970 the Luangwa Valley in Zambia was described in safari guides as “The most prolific game area in central Africa”. The Black Rhinoceros was a major attraction, drawing people from far and wide for sightings of this extraordinary creature. Twenty five years later, I had the opportunity to work in the Luangwa Valley and the Black Rhino was all but a distant memory, nobody had seen one for years…
BUT all may not be lost! With the help of Save the Rhino, over the past few years 15 Rhinos have been re-located, from one of their few remaining population groups in South Africa, to a remote area of the Luangwa Valley and they’re successfully breeding!
I’ve chosen to support Save the Rhino by running the London Marathon on April 26th. Not just because I dream of seeing the Rhino once again roaming through the Luangwa’s 16,000 square kilometres of national park but also because the indirect benefits of Save the Rhino’s projects are vast. Protecting the Rhino automatically means huge tracts of wilderness, along with all the other flora and fauna, are protected. The projects also engage whole communities living in and around these areas. I’ve personally seen a small village of subsistence farmers transformed into a thriving community involved in anti-poaching patrols, education programs, vehicle maintenance, fence construction and a host of other activities as a result. People who historically saw little to gain from protecting the wild areas around them are now proud of their heritage and committed to its protection.
I plan to raise £2,500 and I would love your help in achieving that… any amount would be hugely appreciated. Every pound counts towards bringing this awesome beast back from the brink of extinction to the bush it roamed through for thousands of years…
Thanks a lot
Angus
