Posts tagged “Conservation”

Following her skin graft procedure one month ago, Thandi underwent a follow-up procedure yesterday in which doctors and surgeons undertook to assess which of the three skin graft methods applied in June had worked best, as well as to apply further grafting treatment. Dr Marais and Dr Lamont decided that the "split skin" technique had been the most sucessful and during the 50 minute procedure the team cleaned Thandi's wound, checked for any signs of complication or infection, and applied more of the "split skin" grafting method. A fourth method which could not be applied in June was also added to the surgical effort.

We are pleased to share this update and photographs from Dr William Fowlds

"Today we converge yet again on Kariega Game Reserve in support of the rehabilitation of Thandi the survivor of rhino poaching. Following the successes of various phases of her recovery, a recent set-back occurred when her face was damaged by a bull introduced to replace the breeding capacity lost by the poaching incident over a year ago. In a process which has involved ground breaking efforts to give her back a normal rhino life, we have been reminded just how much poaching took away from her and just how much more she still needs our support through her recovery.

After Kariega Game Reserve lost Themba and our other unnamed bull in a poaching incident last year, Kariega is very excited to have recently introduced a new white male rhino onto this section of the game reserve in the hopes of promoting breeding on the reserve.

Another month has flown by here at Kariega Game Reserve and as always, it was filled with incredible adventures! We never prepare ourselves for a ‘normal’/’planned’ day here, because literally ANYTHING can happen!

Kariega guests were treated to a boma evening with a difference on Saturday, 18 May when musican Jason Hartman and his father played guitar and sang for them around the toasty bonfire.

The Kariega anti-poaching unit and ranger team were excited last Saturday to be handed over Croc shoes from Croc South Africa in support of the Kariega Foundation and rhino protection on the reserve. This wonderful sponsorship was organised and co-ordinated by Red Era, a local fundraising company from Port Elizabeth.

Following the release of the two male servals in October last year, Kariega Game Reserve acquired two lovely female servals, Hope and Artemis, in April of this year who were recently collared and released onto the game park. We are very excited to track their movements and development and hope that their release will bring the two males, Kelpie and Killian, out into the open.

Undercover work by Karl Ammann in Vietnam and Laos showed that 90% of the rhino horn specimens collected was fake, leading to the conclusion that as these Asian economies grow, so too does the demand in rhino horn - so much so that the demand is more than can be met, forcing dealers to sell fake horn.

The Kariega Foundation Save the Rhino fund was extremely fortunate this past weekend to receive a massive handover of roughly R70 000 from Angie Goody, organiser of "Thandi's Fundraiser" in the Isle of Man.