Skydiver on rhino watch in Limpopo

A change in his ordinary routine by jumping from a hot air balloon and skydiving over a piece of land hosting the world’s third biggest population of rhinos outside Bela-Bela on Sunday, was an effort by Red Bull Air Force member, professional skydiver and stuntman, Jeff Provenzano to reach an international audience on rhino poaching awareness.
In a telephonic interview Provenzano afterwards said the jump was certainly one of the most awesome experiences in his career as professional skydiver. “The main purpose of the dive was the hope to bring change – people should change their mind-set to alter the situation rhinos are currently in,” he said.

He added that the beautiful scenery at an altitude of 1 500 m was amazing. “Diving down onto a herd of more than 100 rhinos was an experience of a lifetime. Wildlife, and especially rhino conservation, have been close to my heart since a young age. I always dreamt about becoming a veterinarian. Even though I am not a veterinarian I hope to bring change and make a difference where I possibly can. We need to take care of all creatures. They also have souls and are just as important as humans,” Provenzano said.
Provenzano has partnered with the Ecological Defence Group (Edge), a non-governmental organisation that uses military combat training and equipment to help secure the world’s third highest concentration of rhinos in Limpopo.
Provenzano is also known for his stunt work in Iron Man 3, Godzilla (2014) and Navy Seals. Originally from New York, Provenzano graduated from the School of Visual Arts in New York City in 1998. During that time he began skydiving, has since completed over 19 000 jumps and holds national and world titles as well as multiple world records.
Edge is an ambitious counter-poaching and conservation organisation consisting of a collaborative team of United States military veterans with backgrounds in technology, US Special Operations, entertainment and international business.
They work directly with those on the front lines of the most radical efforts to protect and preserve endangered species, bringing necessary and unique resources to the campaign to protect wildlife in robust and effective ways.

Story: RC Myburgh
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