Local pupils raise funds for rhino reserve

UMHLANGA College will be doing a Sunrise Rhino Walk, starting from Durban View Park and along the Umhlanga promenade, on Friday, 24 April. This event is held each year to raise funds for the Zululand Rhino Reserve (ZRR). The whole school gets involved, with the younger pupils walking with their parents and doing a shorter distance.

The pupils all take sponsorship forms home and funds raised this year will be donated to ZRR to help them raise a rhino calf which was orphaned on 1 April (mother was poached). The six-month-old calf has been named Ithuba, which means ‘chance’.

Northglen News took the chance to talk to some of the pupils involved in the fundraising efforts.

“Most people know that rhinos are critically endangered, and we wanted to take the opportunity to give back to the rhinos. Three of the five species of rhino are ‘critically endangered’. I love rhinos and I would like more people to know about these amazing animals and the problems they are facing,” said Isabella Winter, one of the Grade 7 pupils at the school.

Her thoughts were echoed by fellow pupil, Amy Michau.

“Not many schools have an opportunity to make a difference to the lives of rhinos. We would love to raise as much as possible and beat last year’s amount of R30 000,” she said.