News Edition 08 – Endangered Species

Monthly News Edition 08-15

Bulletin #08 May 2015.

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.

1. MAY CHAIR REPORT

We have just returned from Kenya and South Africa main reason was to climb Mount Kenya for the centenary of ANZAC Day. (Another story). PDG Fred Loneragan District 9700 and an Executive Director of RAGES also joined the adventure and was co-leader.

The main aim of the visit was to establish what Rotary can do on the ground in Kenya and South Africa to help stop the poaching.

Can you imagine a world without rhinos, elephants and lions? Over 30,000 elephants killed last year and only 400,000 remain not sure of the accuracy of these figures, some say a whole lot less. We know that in South Africa alone 1,215 rhinos were poached last year and the number is going up as we speak. We know that there are around 20,000 Southern White Rhinos left and under 5,000 black rhinos. 5 Northern Black Rhinos are left but all beyond breeding, now they are all but extinct.

We met and looked at three great organisations working on the front line of this war in Kenya and South Africa:

1. The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust for elephants. Kenya

2. The Chipembere Rhino Foundation for rhinos. South Africa

3. The Jane Goodall Institute and Jane’s Roots & Shoots Projects. (Dr Dame Jane Goodall is our Patron). Kenya and South Africa.

I am asking for help to get the message across to Rotarians, Rotaractors and to those whom you know in the corporate world who may be able to help. As it will be money that will make it possible to help the above organisations fight this war.

Rotary is changing and we are not a group of Retired Old Men Eating Out or ROMEO’s. Through our action group RAGES we are allowed to form partnerships with government and corporate bodies.

Here is a video from the front line taken on May 9th in South Africa.

and one received today:

Dr William Fowlds:

As you know we are starting a poster and music campaign with some amazing people signing up to support us. How to make use of this amazing support has me scratching my head. I would appreciate any help advice or contacts that you can send my way. (Attached montage of some of the celebrities who signed up, more coming in weekly now including Dame Vivienne Westwood).

We have a very interesting band behind the campaign and their leader Duke Ingram, from London, who is responsible for most of the signatures:

Besureis One Fight Unite RAGES

As always

Yours in Rotary

John Glassford
Chair 2014 -2016

Rotarian Action Group for Endangered Species
Rotary Club of Coolamon District 9700
New South Wales, Australia

RAG Endangered Species

2. THE POSTER CAMPAIGN.

Gathering momentum and the latest to join us include:

Dame Vivienne Westwood D.B.E.

A revolution in soul, mind, body and spirit. One of the greatest teachers and leaders of our modern day. An icon, a legend, a gift to our world. Vivienne Westwood is the revolution and we stand proud to be on the same page, as her great work extends from her amazing fashion to most importantly saving our beautiful planet with her Climate Revolution and Save The Arctic movements. Come and be a part of it! Please share far and wide.

For more informantion on Climate Revolution please visit: http://climaterevolution.co.uk

RIBI President Elect 201602017 Eve Conway District 1130 London

Stay connected for more signings during June thanks to Duke Ingram and Besureis.

RAGES Facebook Page

RAGES One Fight Unite Facebook Page

Duke Ingram and Rubin Besureis and their band Besureis are organising a concert to be held in London on September 5-6th details to follow:

Thank you!

3. THE RAGES BOARD.

I am restructuring our RAGES Board and will announce the new structure once I have had time to put it all in place. We also have to be incorporated and open up a bank account among a few of the obligations to Rotary International now we have been approved.

It is my intention to announce this in the next two weeks before we start the new Rotary year 2015-2016. We have some exiting news to share with you on the positive response from those joining us.

The original board will be known as the Founding Board and these members will be recognised as such.

4. ACTION BOARD REQUIRED

We are also putting together a board of our members who will represent their country to make it easier for a go to situation where clubs are looking of ways to support RAGES. This will become apparent soon. This will be members who will be on the ground in one form or another in their country.

We are looking at ways to get a Kit an anti-poaching Kit to all of our Rotary and Rotaract clubs world wide as a way to kick start our project support. More on this as we work on this plan of action.

5. CALL TO ARMS

The time has come to do something positive to help those on the ground and all three beneficiaries/projects are well established now. I will welcome any ideas and how RAGES can help your club and or district become involved in conserving our endangered species.

This is what a Rotarian Action Group is supposed to do.

As well please share our newsletter with your members in your club and ask them to do the same and to join us in this fight.

In summary I am writing to all the DGEs for the coming year to ask for their support and to let them know we are here to help your clubs get involved and to point them in the right direction. There will be much more on these projects and how we can work to support them in the very near future.

Here are a few photos of some of the recipients of some wonderful work being done on the ground in Kenya and South Africa. Our thanks go to Dame Daphne Sheldrick and Angela Sheldrick in Kenya, Jo Wilmot and all at the Kenton-on-Sea Rotary Club. Dr William Fowlds and Brent Cook from the Chipembere Rhino Foundation. Linus Wafula from Roots & Shoots Kenya and Armicus Mayan from the Oloimugi Maasai Village.

The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Elephant Orphanage in Nairobi

Oloimugi Maasai Eco-village

John Glassford and Dr William Fowlds at Kariega Reserve

The miracle rhino Thandi and her calf Thembi. Thandi was saved by Dr Fowlds.

K9 Anti-patrol team training one great way to support the rangers on the ground

Brent Cook from Chipembere with a tracking collar for the rhino another great way to help the rangers

What we want to see a crush of rhinos with their horns intact.

Our project Director Jo Wilmot just a dynamo with passion we need many more like Jo in RAGES!!! Jo is a member with the Rotary Club of Kenton-on-Sea and had a lot to do with starting RAGES up and we owe you Jo.

Finally Duke Ingram with Besureis rehearsing.

Here is their One Fight Unite RAGES Web Site.

Our sincere thanks go to Duke and Rubin for the hard work which will pay off soon.