RAGES - A Rotary Action Group for Endangered Species

Our Board of Directors has approved a $1,000 DONATION to sponsor two RISK boxes.  An Endangered (EN) species is a species which has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List as likely to become extinct. "Endangered" is the second most severe conservation status for wild populations in the IUCN's schema after Critically Endangered (CR).  The Black Rhino is a Critically Endangered animal; White Rhino is nearly threatened; and Javan Rhino is Critically Endangered; Sumatran Rhino is Critically Endangered.

 

These boxes or kits are available for Rotary and Rotaract Clubs and Districts to support. These RISK Boxes will contain equipment that will go to various projects engaged in the protection and survival of rhinos, pygmy elephants and orangutans in areas of South Africa, Borneo and Indonesia that are currently under threat by poaching, loss of habitat and human wildlife conflict. RAGES is looking at sourcing these RISK Boxes in the area of most need so as to keep the economic benefits in that country. These RISK Boxes will start at $500 for the entry level. There are three other levels that will be available.

 

These projects are in partnership with the Chipembere Rhino Foundation in South Africa, the Pygmy Elephant Project in Borneo and the United Kingdom Orangutan Appeal for Borneo. 

RHINO INTERNATIONAL SURVIVAL KITS

Together with the Rotary Club of Kenton-on-Sea South Africa and our Projects Director Jo Wilmot, we are developing RAGES International Survival Kits or RISK Boxes. These boxes or kits will be available for Rotary and Rotaract Clubs and Districts to support.  PDG Ed Charlesworth and Robin Charlesworth have attended a meeting of the Rotary Club of Kenton-on-Sea and are excited to be a part of a partner club to support this project!  From the Rotary Club of Kenton-on-Sea:  27 March 2016 Our Club is devastated by the news of 3 rhino being poached at nearby Sibuya Game Reserve. These were ‘our’ rhinos and we share the grief and outrage of the Sibuya team. Well done to the team of dedicated professionals who were able to capture and relocate two surviving youngsters to a nearby rhino orphanage, and to Dr Will Fowlds and his team for all they tried to do to save their dad, Bingo. In keeping with our pledge to support the anti-poaching initiative, we are talking with both the Sibuya Rhino Foundation and our partner, Chipembere Rhino Foundation, to establish what we can do to help. This project is essentially about creating awareness through the worldwide web of Rotary. Dr William Fowlds gave a presentation to the club on the story of Thandi and Temba, two rhinos from a nearby Reserve, who were targeted by poachers for their horns. Dr Fowlds tells the incredibly moving story of how he was called in when the rhinos were found badly wounded but still alive. Despite all his efforts, it was not possible to save Temba, but Thandi has become a household name as a result of his care which ultimately saved her. When asked what we, as a club, could do, Dr Fowlds’ response was – Create Awareness. To this end his story was taken by our Club to District Conference in East London where the District was also treated to the presentation – leaving almost everyone reaching for tissues. The motion to take this ‘create awareness’ campaign to the RI International Conference in Lisbon, June, 2013, was passed unanimously.  Jo Wilmot and Bruce and Pippa Steele-Gray went on to attend this conference where their Save the Rhino stall in the House of Friendship achieved all they set out to do – create awareness. The Club’s grateful thanks go to Investec and Chipembere Rhino Foundation for their hugely effective sponsorship.

These RISK Boxes will contain equipment that will go to various projects engaged in the protection and survival of rhinos in areas of South Africa that are currently under attack by well organised poaching gangs and syndicates.  For more detailed information on what is needed for these survival kits see below.

Some of the items required in RISK Boxes will include the following:

VHF Tracking collar – Rand 3,000.00 US$291
VHF Horn implant – Rand 3,900.00 US$378
GPS Satellite collar – Rand 23,000.00 US$2,230
Handheld VHF Receiver – Rand 9,000.00 US$872
Antennae Short Range (compact) – Rand 3,000.00 US$291
Antennae Long Range – Rand 1,500.00 US$145
Ground to Air Handheld Radios – Rand 10,000.00 US$969
Night Vision Generation 1 Handheld Scope – Rand 6,500.00 US$630
Camera Traps with Realtime MMS and Infrared Black Flash – Rand 5,000.00 US$485
Rhino DNA Kits – Rand 600.00 US$58
Micro-Chips (3 per Rhino) – Rand b400.00 US$39
Helicopter Surveillance Flights – Rand 3,000.00/Per Hour US$291
Emergency Helicopter on Standby – Rand 25,000.00 US$2,423