&Beyond Donate Rhino Protection Equipment to Govt
A Maun based Safari company, &Beyond, on Tuesday donated Rhino protection equipment to the Department of Wildlife and National Parks to aid in the fight against rhino poaching. The donated equipment included cameras, GPS, computers, tracking devices and camping gear.
Speaking at the Handover Ceremony &Beyond Managing Director, Jason King noted that the rhino protection Programme started about 11 years ago.
“About 2012 &Beyond had an idea that we should create another population of rhino outside of South Africa so that if things do not work out in that country, at least we would have more rhino populations spreading across Africa that could repopulate and save the extinction of rhinos” said King.
In pursuit of their dream, in 2013 &Beyond formed Rhinos Without Borders Organisation, and the first six rhinos were transported all the way from one of their Game Reserves in South Africa , and released into the southern Okavango Delta wilderness.
“We joined forces with Great Plains and succeed in bringing about 88 rhinos and over 100 animals were reproduced, exceeding our initial target of bringing in 100 animals from SA,” explained King.
&Beyond were moved to assist DWNP because of a realization that poaching was escalating and that some animals needed to be moved to protection areas. However their ultimate dream is to one day see rhinos roam around freely like other animals.
When receiving the donation, North West Regional Wildlife Officer, Dimakatso Ntshebe indicated that the department of National Wildlife is grateful for the relationship they have with &Beyond.
“We gathered last year when they gave us a drone that we have since put to good use. As DWNP we have some rhinos that we look after, we have a dedicated team called the rhino squad who need equipment to look after these rhinos,” said Ntshebe who also highlighted that the equipment will help during patrol.
