Sharp support for rhinos
STRIJDOMPARK – Project fighting rhino poaching using data receives R50 000.
Anti-rhino poaching has received a much-needed boost.
The RhODIS (Rhino DNA Index System) DNA Project was presented with a cheque of R50 000 on 26 February from Rock ‘n Ride 4 Rhino.
RhODIS collects DNA from rhino carcasses across the country which will then be linked to any recovered rhino horn.
This assists in the fight against poaching as it would identify poachers’ routes, and establish a connection between poachers and crime scenes. If these links are established, sentencing is more severe. Horns recovered in Asia have already been linked to crime scenes in South Africa due to this project run by the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory at the Faculty of Veterinary Science at the University of Pretoria.
Head of the lab, Dr Cindy Harper received the cheque at Strijdom Park Volkswagen from Rock ‘n Ride co-founder Dave Estment. She said the money came at an important time as the project needed more funding to upload the DNA of live rhino onto the system.
The money will also go toward funding the production and distribution of kits used to collect rhino DNA samples.
Rock ‘n Ride 4 Rhino is a conservation, community and communications project founded by Estment, Damien Mander and Jason Hartman. It aims to create awareness, educate the public and raise funds for the fight against rhino poaching.
Volkswagen sponsored the vehicles and mobility Rock ‘n Ride 4 Rhino needed for a journey around South Africa between April and September last year.
During this time Rock ‘n Ride travelled 15 000km and visited 32 000 pupils at 69 schools.
Details: Rock ‘n Ride 4 Rhino co-founder Dave Estment 082 882 7272
082 882 7272, Veterinary Genetics Laboratory at the Faculty of Veterinary Science at the University of Pretoria 012 529 8240012 529 8240.
