Taking to the streets for elephants, rhinos and lions
We spoke to SA Rhino Champion Afeefah Patel, a 9 year old award winning philanthropist on what we need to do to help save our rhino, lion and elephants. Afeefah even met Pres. Jacob Zuma to front the problem of poaching with him, and invited Pres. Zuma to join her at the Kruger National Park, as he has never been there before!
We also spoke to Kirsten Everett, just a normal 15 year old to some perhaps, but what you may not know is that Kirsten is an author, and has already published two books!
She tackles the topics of poaching in her writings, and is a true Rhino Champion.
We also spoke to 11 year old SA Rhino Champion Jadin Jordaan about what he is doing to help the poaching problem, and what he thinks needs to be done.
Africa's iconic wildlife species are under threat and every day that passes sees them moving closer to extinction. Every fifteen minutes an elephant is killed for its tusks. Every nine hours a rhino loses its life for its horn. There are fewer than 20,000 lion left in the wild in Africa...
The illegal wildlife trade is costing the lives of both animals and their protectors. Wildlife police officers across Africa put their lives on the line every day in their efforts to save our precious, flagship species.
All over the world, every-day people are becoming more and more angry with this huge, unnecessary loss of life and the demand nations that are driving the illegal trade in wildlife, led by China. They are also angry at the complete lack of political will to tackle this crime, which is fast becoming more lucrative than narcotics, and the amount of corruption at high levels of government involved. The world's leaders do not seem to care about wildlife and the future of key species in both Africa and Asia is looking bleak.
In an answer to this, the Global March for Elephants and Rhinos has evolved to give people across the world the chance to express their support for these incredible animals, while at the same time registering their dissatisfaction with the way our leaders are handling this most pressing and critical of issues.
No one wants to live in a world without elephants, rhinos, and here in Africa the status of the "king of beasts" and apex predator, the lion, is also of critical importance. Our children have been raised with Disney's "Lion King" but are they aware that in all likelihood, the only way their children will see "Simba" is in a zoo or online?
This is why, on October 4 - World Animal Day - hundreds of thousands of people in more than 119 cities across the world will take to the streets to say "ENOUGH" in a peaceful demonstration of global unity and support, and to deliver formal memoranda of demand to the governments of both range and demand nations.
The march has garnered huge global support, and has been backed by the world's favourite Royals - England's Princes William and Harry, whose United for Wildlife organisation has given the event its seal of approval. Leading conservation NGOs have also given it global backing. A full list of supporters can be found on the Global March website here: http://www.march4elephantsandrhinos.org/ - !supporters/chb1
Locally, the South African marches will feature some 15 cities across the country, with Johannesburg looking set to be one of the biggest events in both South Africa and the world, vying with London and San Francisco for the biggest turnout of support.
The Johannesburg march has been driven by businessman and conservation educationist Dek Kotze, CEO of Jenna Clifford jewellers and a renowned philanthropist in his own right.
"We've got Johannesburg, Pretoria, Stellenbosch, Durban, Rustenburg, Nelspruit, Bloemfontein, Grahamstown and Soweto organising marches, as well as Middelburg and Port Elizabeth," says Dex.
"We need a real show of force in South Africa, because this is where the bulk of the world's rhino population is steadily losing the battle against poaching, so we absolutely have to get out there on October 4 and show the world we are not going to take this slaughter of our precious wildlife any more," he says.
Dex adds that South Africa's elephants are next on the Far East's shopping list: "Our elephants will soon go the same way as our rhino. Already we have had two big tuskers killed in the northern part of the Kruger Park for their tusks. Elephant poaching is coming, and it's going to hit us hard," he says.
"Besides taking to the streets in a peaceful protest to draw attention to the plight of our elephant and rhino, we are also delivering powerful Memoranda of Demand to the governments of prominent range and demand states," says Dex. "All of the participating cities delivered these memoranda to the notorious 'Gang of 19' countries on World Elephant Day on August 12, and will be delivering them again on World Rhino Day on September 22, as well as on the day of the march itself.
(see: http://conservationaction.co.za/recent-news/gang-of-8-becomes-gang-of-19/ for more information on the Gang of 19)
"In addition, the South African marchers are delivering to the President and key government departments stringent demands for urgent changes to the country's legislation to allow for stiffer penalties for poachers and tougher laws surrounding the illegal wildlife trade," explains Dex.
"We want everyone to give up a few hours of their time on October 4, to bring their families and have a nice, enjoyable walk on an easy route in their home cities or cities near them while showing their support for these incredible animals, who deserve a future where they will not be hunted down for their horns and tusks," says Dex.
And of course, with technology the way it is these days, it's not just about physically turning out for the GMFER, especially if you don't live near a city hosting a march or are unable to join in on the day. The powers of social media are vital in a cause like this, as Dex explains.
"We can raise a real storm on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and the like, and get virtual feet across the world to join us in this campaign."
To find out more about the GMFER and marches in cities near you, visit http://www.march4elephantsandrhinos.orgor use the following social media links:
#FindYourCity
http://www.march4elephantsandrhinos.org
For more information please contact:
Sharon van Wyk
GMFERL Media Liaison
083 725 9131
