Trekking 1000km for rhino
WATERFALL - Fritz Breytenbach has pledged to walk 1000km in the name of Tintswalo Lodges, one of which is based in Waterfall City, to help raise furth awareness for rhinos.
After launching the Tintswalo Rhino Extreme Campaign in May, Breytenbach has now passed over the 800km mark.
“I know that many people want to help save the rhino population, and I really wanted to do something that would not only benefit this campaign but would allow me to contribute in my own way. So I decided to volunteer to walk 1000km,” he said.
The campaign was designed to increase awareness of the massacre of the rhino population in Southern Africa and forms part of Tintswalo Safari Lodge’s commitment to facilitate growth in the rhino population in the Manyeleti Game Reserve and Western Kruger National Park.
The campaign also hopes to create a comprehensive intelligence network that will pre-empt and warn the partnership of any attempted rhino poaching in the area. “This will be coupled with a fully trained and effective team of field rangers, ready to respond to any threat of poachers entering the reserves,” said Gaye Corbett from the Tintswalo Property Group.
Breytenbach admits that walking through the park has been much harder than he expected it to be and said one had to be both mentally strong and physically prepared before undertaking such an expedition.
Not even encountering many of the big five on foot as well as a run-in with African’s longest venomous snake, the black mamba, or torn ankle ligaments has been able to deter Breytenbach from his walk. “Upon examination, I was certain I would be strongly advised to stop walking for several weeks, something which was and is unthinkable. Therefore, when I visited a doctor from Acornhoek I pretended ‘not’ to be in pain,” he said.
Breytenbach said he hopes that his walk, along with the work the campaign is doing, will make a noticeable impact on rhino conservation.
“The wild rhino population is under severe threat, and I would gladly walk 2000km next time, if it meant that even one person became more aware about the plight of these amazing creatures. I am extremely proud to be part of this initiative, and look forward to continuing to play my part in contributing positively to the survival of the species.”
