40 BLACK RHINO FACE POACHING
40 BLACK RHINO FACE POACHING ON GOURLAYS RANCH WHICH IS AN OFFICIAL PART OF THE NATIONAL POLICY ON BLACK RHINO CONSERVATION.
Ten black Rhino arrived on Gourlays Ranch in 1987, in a Zimbabwe Government attempt to halt the extinction of the species. The animals quickly adapted to their new home on 42 000 acres of natural habitat. They bred at the highest rate of any rhino project on private game farms in the nation. From 1987 to 2001, only one rhino died - this was of old age. The herd is rated by some as the best in the country. Zoologists from the Center of Endangered Species at the San Diego Zoo repeatedly visit the ranch to study the animals and to donate funds for their protection.
In February 2000 supposed war veterans invaded the Gourlays Ranch and many other farm properties across the country. They built their huts where they pleased and the territorial rhino were forced to live in smaller areas. The reduced habitat casuses fighting between the territoral bulls. A few days ago one bull rhino died due to the stressed conditions.
Last week the war veterans invaded and barricaded the farm and demanded the eviction of the family who have owned the land for 15 years. They threatened to kill the family and all the employees and burn the buildings unless the owners vacate the property within a week - Over the weekend they intensified their demands and the family were forced to move off on saturday. Mr Pascal was arrested and released on Monday.
The tragedy extends far beyond the family and the hundreds of people who rely on the income generated by the ranch. The black rhino face death by poaching. The loss of the rhino on one property will push the world numbers closer to EXTINCTION. The gene pool will be extinguised and as much as 10% of the black rhino in Zimbabwe will die - Its taken 15 years to get the numbers up and we are finally seeing progress - LETS KEEP IT THAT WAY.
Pascal wrote "What started all of the nonsense is that we are a black rhino conservancy. We have approximately 40 black rhino on the property. Last year we had the vets come down from Harare due to the squatters snaring the animals. A big bull died last week due to fighting as the animals are now compressed into a small area and the bulls areas are overlapping. We did what we were supposed to do according to the law and contacted a government vet and National Parks. The vet came out to ascertain the cause of death and National Parks collected the horn. The was on Sunday.. On Monday, all hell broke loose as the squatters now decided that they own the rhino and they want the trophy fee for these animals and we should have consulted with them prior to calling the vet and National Parks."
The War Vets have also stopped the pumping of water for the animals. They haven't had water since 25 March 2002.
We dare not sit by and let this happen!! Write to every group and individual you know who have the welfare of the black rhino close to heart. Contact your government representatives and ask for an interventiion of this pending disaster. Together we can arouse the conscious of the world to see the depth of the horror that will happen if the events in Zimbabwe continue.
There is room for everyone in Zimbabwe, black, white and WILDLIFE. It simply needs some committed people to take control of the situation and and re-arrange the structure to everyone's benefit and satisfaction. Its worth a try before its too late.
HELP
