🦏 When I was in Zimbabwe in the early 1990s I used to come across dozens of white rhinos in the biggest national park, Hwange. Sadly I also witnessed how they were being decimated by poachers in that period. Some were transferred to other parks in the East of the country. The last white rhino was killed in Hwange in 2007.
Soon after, I started partnering with Imvelo Safari Lodges, a group created and lead by ex Forestry officer Mark 'Butch' Butcher who had fought to save the last rhinos; I promoted the company and its philosophy in Europe (France, Italy, Belgium) for years. Since my book on the rhino war 'Zambezi Valley - The Lost Stronghold' came out in 2019, my partnership with Butch has continued in the form of donations of parts of the royalties to Imvelo's anti-poaching unit, the Cobras: the team was recruited to guard 24/7 the first two white rhinos newly reintroduced by Imvelo to a fenced sanctuary in southern Hwange in 2022, in the same area where the group, lead by Butch and his long term vision, had built its lodges working hand in hand with the local Ngamo communities.
The Cobras, who received bicycles via proceeds from my book, have since become role models for the local remote villages.
This year, 2024, a second donation from the book sales went to the new Cobra rangers recently recruited from within the community, in the form of uniforms, socks, boots and berets, just before a second batch of white rhinos reached on 9th September the additional rhino sanctuary created by Imvelo for the Community Rhino Conservation Initiative, called Mlevu.
With pride and excitement, school children, villagers, National parks officers, Imvelo international guests and journalists from all over the world welcomed to Mlevu the two white rhinos that travelled 700 km by truck for 17 hours on dusty roads from Malilangwe in Eastern Zimbabwe, escorted by the Cobras, veterinarians, traditional leaders and scouts.
I couldn't be prouder of Butch, the Cobras, and everyone involved in the expansion of this brave initiative under the custodianship of the local communities!
🦏 Globally the book is available on Amazon; in Zimbabwe it is available at Folio Bookstore, Sam Levy's Village, Borrowdale. All proceeds go to antipoaching and conservation. @zambezivalleytheloststronghold
댓글