Bulletin #10/11-2016 October/November.
This Rotarian Action Group for Endangered Species or RAGES is a Rotarian Action Group and operates in accordance with Rotary International policy but is not an agency of, or controlled by Rotary International.
I. NOVEMBER CHAIR REPORT
G ‘ day
The past three months have been very busy for our small straw bale building company. However RAGES continues to grow and we welcome all our new members. On the front line our three project Directors have been very busy with their RAGES endorsed projects. More in the bulletin.
Our web master Mark Rosendahl from Canada has now completed the three major ways to support these projects via donations. Now I am a strong believer in raising awareness and hence funds at the same time. All of our three projects have a Rotary club on the ground in support.
We thank Mark for his pro-bono work and just in case you need a great web master I am sure that Mark will be happy to provide you with a quote:
http://www.bunkmedia.net
One of the duties of this action group is to put clubs and districts in touch with each other in support of our projects. I am now asking all of you to have a look at the three projects and see if there is a way that you can involve your club or District in an awareness campaign and fund raising as well.
All three projects will be able to approach The Rotary Foundation for a Global Grant. This all takes time of which there is little left for the iconic species of our planet.
So write to us via the web site or my email and let me know of your ideas to support our three Directors and their passion.
Talk soon and please do not hesitate to contact me.
Yours in Rotary
John Glassford
RAGES Chair 2014 -2017
Rotarian Action Group for Endangered Species
Rotary Club of Coolamon District 9700
New South Wales, Australia
P.S. Message from one of our newest members:
Hello John,
Penny
Welcome to RAGES Penny! Penny has donated $500 to RAGES and is happy for this money to go towards the Pygmy Elephant project in Malaysia. Thank you so much Penny.
PROJECT 1 PYGMY ELEPHANTS MALAYSIA.
Project Director Debbie Mair Rotary Club of Hutt City New Zealand.
Debbie with Wee Haggis last month.
SUCCESS! – Finally, after 2 years of continued persistence and determination, the trialed and paid for Fonterra Milk Powder (1.2 tons) is on route to Sepilok to feed the orphan baby pygmy elephants. Well done to all concerned – Sabah Wildlife Department, Fonterra, The Rotary Club of Hutt City, Rotary Club of Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia, BCTJ and Endangered Species Protection – RAGES….
With only 1000 left in the wild the pygmy elephants in East Malaysia need our help. Debbie has just left there with a request for a container to house specialised cleaning equipment to help save some of the sick pygmy elephant orphans getting infections.
Here in part is Debbie’s request:
PROJECT 2 ORANGUTANS BORNEO.
Project Director Sue Sheward MBE Rotary Club of Bookham Horsley England.
Sue recently was back in Borneo and met up with Debbie Mair:
On the way back from Borneo to England Sue went via Pert in Western Australia and visited Past Rotary International Director Ken Collins and the amazing Di Collins both avid Rotarians and supporters of RAGES.
Sue said: “During my current visit to Australia I had the great privilege of meeting my fellow Rotarians Dr Kenneth Collins and his lovely wife Di. Dr Ken is a past Director of Rotary International who is an amazing man who has done an enormous amount of good over the years.”
Orangutan Appeal UK works tirelessly to help the endangered orangutan. We are dedicated to providing a sustainable future for the species through rehabilitation and conservation of their rainforest habitat; and by raising awareness of the plight of this great ape across the world. The Appeal identifies specific needs and then adopts them as projects. Each project is funded and managed by the Appeal with goods, services and labour sourced locally wherever possible
Sue Sheward MBE the Appeal’s Chairwoman and Founder, became involved with the plight of the orangutans in Borneo while on holiday there. Having seen the work of the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre initially as a tourist, and then having shown great interest, she was allowed further access and more information about the project and returned to the UK with the conviction that she would do something to help.
PROJECT 3 RHINOS SOUTH AFRICA.
Project Director Jo Wilmot from the Rotary Club of Kenton-on-Sea South Africa was heavily involved with this year’s Rhino Run.
In the four years to date that this event has been held, the Rhino run has raised R545,000.00 for their beneficiaries. These beneficiaries include OSCAP, The Chipembere Rhino Foundation, Saving The Survivors and The Kariega Foundation Help Save Our Rhino Project.
On the 25 September 2016 the 5th Anniversary of the run was marked by running the race in 5 venues across South Africa. They included runs in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Gauteng, Kenton and Durban.
The Gauteng race took place at Hedianga Farm in Pretoria. The routes distances were 5km, 10km and 15km. The trails are very well marked and the venue allows runners to bring their dogs with for an on lead run. The trails at Hedianga Farms are known for being tough and challenging. The race organisers made sure to have ample water points for the runners, but did advise that runners should carry hydration packs. The race kicked off at 9am with the 15km runners setting off first, the rest followed in a staggered start at 10 min intervals thereafter.
SOME NEWS FROM THE RAGES FACEBOOK PAGE
I. Cathy Dreyer – Tusk Conservation Award finalist 2016
Cathy started her career over 17 years ago at the age of 22 with South African National Parks as a conservation student, assisting with the capture of black rhino. This became a turning point in her life as she developed a deep, lifelong passion for the species (Cathy calls it a “slight obsession”), which has shaped her career in conservation.
Coming from humble roots and starting a career at the bottom of the ladder, Cathy’s perseverance and focus built a career which graphically illustrates that being disadvantaged is not a barrier to achieving great heights, not only in conservation but also in life itself. On hearing about her nomination, Cathy said: “It has been incredibly humbling and I am truly honored to have been nominated for this award.”
Cathy’s success has been totally through her own efforts and as a woman she has faced greater challenges than most. She admits that: “I have always been driven by my work and family has had to take a back seat for a number of years.” Crucially, Cathy has helped to bring people working in conservation together, principally in a number of national and international rhino translocations. Her response to the nomination shows her overarching modesty: “This nomination is as much for the people who have inspired me, taught me what I know and continue to motivate me daily.”
Cathy’s work has led directly to the establishment of new black rhino populations and in South Africa, the country with the highest population of rhino – yet facing the highest rate of poaching – Cathy offers the potential to provide vital protection for this species far into the future. Behind her success is her approach to life: “the harder the battle the sweeter the victory”.
Cathy Dreyer is a clear example of the commitment and future of young African leadership in Conservation in Africa: “I am driven by the need to feel that I am making a difference and contributing meaningfully to conservation.
II. 14 November 2016 – The passing of an Icon…
It is with heavy hearts and great sadness that Saving The Survivors has to share the devastating news that our beloved White rhino cow, Hope, is no longer with us. She was found yesterday late afternoon without life in her boma where she has been cared for since March this year. We don’t know yet what dimmed Hope’s light and we are left with a huge ‘WHY?’ today. The cause of death looks to be a bacterial infection of her small intestine, and we have requested further tests to shed light on this immense tragedy.
This courageous rhino has been the face of rhino poaching survivors since she survived a brutal attack in the Eastern Cape at the end of April last year. Wandering alone in the bush for days, deeply hurt and with half her face hacked off, she survived against all odds. It was no wonder then, that she was christened Hope and became a worldwide ambassador for her species. Her healing was described as miraculous and she continued to show a fighting spirit, bar none.
Thank you to all the veterinarians involved in treating Hope, her caretakers and everyone else that contributed to Hope’s well being!
There will always be Hope, for this iconic rhino will live on in everyone’s hearts and in STS’s mission of Creating Hope from Hurt.
III. Sammy on patrol! We met Sammy and his handler in May 2015 .
Thank-you to Mastertons Coffee & Tea Specialists for their on-going support of a CRF K9 team. Among a host of other related costs that Masterton’s continues to fund, Sammy’s handler received an entire new uniform compliment. Every-day this team is out patrolling or training and it is incredible the wear and tear clothing goes through in a short space of time.
IV. Zambian poaching crisis fueled by Chinese military
Zambia’s elephant population has declined by about 90% due to poaching. Its black rhino population, estimated at 13,000 in 1981, is now extinct. Oscar Nkala visited the border town of Livingstone to find out what’s driving the poaching crisis.
An estimated 14 elephant tusks worth US$140,000 were found in two suitcases belonging to Colonel Oscar Chapula, then military adviser to the commander of the Zambian army, as the commander’s entourage prepared to fly out on a seven-day working visit to China on 29th May 2013.
Above: Zambian game rangers and vets remove a wire snare that had entangled Inonge, a matriarch rhino in the Mosia-Tunya National Park near Livingstone on 8 February this year. The rhino survived another snaring incident early in 2014 ©Oscar Nkala.
V. Hunter Mitchell 9 y.o. Conservationist
When nine-year-old South African boy Hunter Mitchell heard about a baby rhinoceros that had been abandoned by its mother, he knew he had to help.
The budding conservationist and keen rhino fan quickly organised a crowdfunding campaign to raise money to care for the calf — named Osita — which was at a nearby game reserve.
“On the news I found out about this abandoned baby rhino who was born at Aquila Private Game Reserve, which is two hours from Cape Town,” Hunter told ABC News Breakfast.
“I decided to help because he was really cute and he wasn’t going to live without his mother.
“So I started to raise money for him.”
Hunter’s public appeal raised more than 75,000 South African rand ($7,000) and he has since become an ambassador for the Aquila reserve.
His efforts have brought him all the way to Australia, where he will be presented with the Visionary Wildlife Warrior award from Australia Zoo in Queensland this weekend.
ATLANTA 2017 CONVENTION
The Rotary International Convention in Atlanta will be a large gathering of the Rotary Family. It will be the centenary of our Foundation.
RAGES as a Rotarian Action Group is obliged to be there in a booth as we did in the Seoul 2016 RICON.
RAGES will also be asking for a break-out session and we will be holding our AGM and the election of our board.
We will be looking for help on the booth and as members we encourage you to attend our AGM and Break-Out Session if we have one allocated to us.
You can book here: Atlanta 2017 RICON.
RAGES FACEBOOK PAGE
Still getting a lot of visits to our Facebook site.
Click on the logo below and join us please on Facebook.
CONTACT DETAILS:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 61 2 6927 6027 {61 is the code for Australia}.
Postal: 22 Moore Street, GANMAIN, NEW SOUTH WALES 2701, AUSTRALIA.