The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), based in Modderfontein, has announced that its Rhino Project won the Rhino Rescue Award category of the Mail and Guardian’s Greening the Future Awards.
“The EWT believes there is no single solution to addressing illegal wildlife trade, which is an increasing global phenomenon. Wildlife trade often has its roots firmly established in organised and trans-boundary crimes. For this reason, the EWT’s Rhino Project is implementing projects and interventions at several stages in the poaching and wildlife trade chain,” said Ms Kirsty Brebner, the manager of the Rhino Project.
The project works to address rhino poaching and conserve rhinos in the wild through various initiatives.
One such project was the deployment of four sniffer dogs at OR Tambo International Airport and another sniffer dog in a private reserve.
The EWT has also trained law enforcement officials in wildlife trade and crime-related issues through a five day course.
Currently, over 200 officials have passed the course.
Another project initiated by the EWT encourages the rehabilitation of orphaned rhino calves as well as the treatment of injured adult rhino in the field.
“While the EWT Rhino Project engages directly with the illegal rhino horn trade, the repercussions of our work have far-reaching effects on biodiversity conservation and management. That is because the rhino trade acts as a flagship for the ever-increasing illegal wildlife trade as a whole; everything from tortoises and abalone to rhino horn and ivory. So while the horn trade is central to the EWT’s conservation efforts, it has allowed the organisation to raise the status of illegal trade issues for other wildlife including elephants, cycads and marine life,” said Ms Brebner.
For more information on the EWT’s Rhino Project, contact Ms Kirsty Brebner on kirstyb@ewt.org.za.
