Starkraft supports Rhinos in South Africa
The greatest threat facing African rhinos is poaching for the illegal trade in their horns, which has soared in recent years. Because their horns make enormous money on the black market, rhinos are becoming more and more (critically) endangered. Starkraft supports projects in South Africa, which protect the rhinos from poachers and provide medical care for the injured.
Rhinos are among the most endangered species in the world and heavily targeted by poachers. The main reason is the use of their powdered horn in traditional Chinese medicine. Although the efficacy is unproven, the Asian markets put such trust in these remedies, that they ignore all scientific studies. Rhino horn is in particular demand in China, Korea and Vietnam.
The illegal hunting of rhinos in Africa is increasing rapidly, with nearly 1500 animals killed during 2015, for the sake of their horn. The majority of the rhinos killed were in South Africa, where 75 percent of all African rhinos live. Poaching gangs use increasingly sophisticated methods, including helicopters and night vision equipment to track rhinos, and drugs to knock them out before ruthlessly killing them.
In South Africa, there is a large number of organizations working for the protection of rhinos. Starkraft- with the Flying Rhino as our logo - has selected, on the recommendation of local contacts, four associations and visited them personally on site. We wanted to convince ourselves that the selected NPOs work professionally, and review how best we could support their needs.
Rhino Rescue Project
This is a preventative protection method, with the aim to keep the rhinos alive. A red dye and a substance that is toxic for humans is injected into the rhino horn. This makes the horn worthless for the Asian consumers and subsequently for the poachers.
Starkraft has sponsored horn treatments for up to three rhinos.
rhinorescueproject.org
Protrack Rhino Task Team
The Rhino Task Team is a highly trained, fully equipped and fully armed anti-poaching unit. Their task is to protect the rhinos from poachers around the clock by just being present. In addition, they carry out investigations on slaughtered rhinos and collect evidence at the scene of a poaching crime. The rhino task team help find orphaned rhino babies and bring them to wildlife authorities or put them into rhino orphanages.
Starkraft has provided Protrack Rhino Task Team with an extra sturdy metal detector.
www.protrackrhinotask.co.za
Wild4life
In Rustenberg vet Ms. Tjitske Schouwstra maintains a wildlife site, where she looks after all kinds of animals. They receive medical care and stay with Tjitske, until they have recovered and released into freedom or handed over to a park or zoo. Tjitske, is also the organizer of a nightly Rhino Patrol through the African bush to locate/protect rhinos. The patrol share their GPS coordinates and report irregularities, such as broken fences or foreign vehicles to the Rangers. This patrol is voluntary and volunteers use their own vehicles - every night they travel up to 350 km
Starkraft has provided funds that will enable Tjitske to buy a night vision device, which will assist the rhino night patrol immensely.
www.wildforlife.co.za
OSCAP
What started as a Facebook entry is today a Non-Profit-Organization, which takes care exclusively of the protection of rhinos. Allison Thomas is the voice of the rhinos and for rhino affairs in South Africa. Her goal is to achieve a zero tolerance policy towards crime against all wild animals, especially against rhinos in South Africa. OSCAP fights against poachers and against the corrupt state of the country, as well as supporting other Rhino protection projects.
Starkraft has given OSCAP funds that should enable a rhino orphan ambulance to be equipped with items that provide immediate first aid.
www.oscap.co.za
Werner Hartmann, Managing Director Starkraft explains: "We are very pleased to partner with our selected non-profit organizations in South Africa, and are delighted with their enthusiasm, their motivation and their tireless, unpaid commitment to the rhinos. Through our long-term partnership we want to support their efforts to protect the endangered rhinos in South Africa”.