FUNDING PROPOSAL
PURPOSE OF PROPOSAL
We would like to request the assistance of Cycle of Life to dehorn 45 rhino in an effort to reduce rhino poaching incidents. The veterinary cost of the operation is estimated to be R179 665 (8834 Euros).
ACTIVITIES PLANNED AND TIMETABLE
This project will be implemented by the MTPA Game Capture Unit with veterinary assistance from African Wildlife Vets. We need to remove the posterior and anterior horns off 45 rhinos within a state protected area in the Mpumalanga Province. The project is planned to take place from the 24th to 28th July 2023. The team will try to dehorn as many rhinos as possible during this period.
Activities:
1.With the assistance of (on the ground) field rangers, a helicopter will be used to locate the rhinos
2.When presented with an opportunity, the veterinarian, Dr Chris Smith, will dart the rhino from the chopper. This is the preferred method of darting as opposed to on foot or from a vehicle as it allows the vet and pilot to track the darted animal and get to it quickly once it is immobilized. (Unless in groups, each rhino will be darted individually and the steps following this will be for each rhino).
3.As soon as the animal is immobilized, the ground team will move in and the vet will be dropped off to assist.
4.The rhino horns will be removed using a chainsaw. This is the quickest and most effective method of removing the horn. The horn is made of keratin which is the same protein that makes up hair and finger nails. Removing the horn can be compared to cutting your hair or fingernails – it does not cause any pain to the rhino.
5.Once the operation is completed a pure antidote will be administered which will lead to a complete reversal of the immobilising drug. The ground team will move away and give the rhino space to wake up and move back into the bush.
Over the past ten years, South Africa has faced a grave crisis of rhino poaching, posing a severe threat to the country’s rhino population and conservation efforts. The illegal trade in rhino horns, driven by misguided beliefs in their medicinal properties in certain Asian markets, has fueled an alarming surge in poaching activities. Sophisticated poaching syndicates have employed increasingly ruthless tactics, resorting to armed attacks on protected areas and rhino reserves, often leaving behind a trail of destruction and loss. Despite the implementation of heightened security measures in many protected areas, such as increased patrols and intelligence-led operations, the battle against rhino poaching remains an arduous one.
Rhino dehorning or horn-trimming which is the removal of the posterior and anterior horns, is one of the preventative measures’ conservationists take to reduce the number of rhinos poached. By proactively dehorning rhinos, conservation authorities aim to diminish the incentive for poachers. Although it is a temporary solution that needs to be repeated periodically as the horn regrows, dehorning has shown promising results in reducing poaching incidents in certain areas.
African Wildlife Vets (AWV) aims to assist the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) dehorn 45 rhinos. In order to effectively execute this operation, African Wildlife Vets humbly seeks the support of Cycle of Life to sponsor the veterinary component of this operation.
CONCLUSION
Thank you for your time, consideration, and potential support. Your commitment to the preservation of our planet’s natural heritage is greatly appreciated.
Together, we can make a significant impact in the fight against poaching.
Listen here to an interview Simone Godfrey had with a German Radio Station regarding the rhino dehorning operation
