Seven Minutes of Terror That Lasts Forever

"It's a pleasant day. Two rhino mothers graze peacefully along the edge of the trees. A half grown calf wallows in the mud hole. Her small beady eyes the only part of her leathery body not caked. She's just pulling herself away, bits of mud splattering when the helicopter flies over.

Not the actual baby... a photo I took

There's a commotion and she runs toward her mother. Her mother turns gives a mournful bellow and drops awkwardly. Her wild eyed calf lumbers for the bushes as four men, two with chainsaws attack the downed rhino. After a frightening few minutes all is quiet. The terrified calf moves toward her bleeding, dying mother."

[A story based on what has happened]

Just got word from my photographer friend, Frank who is in South Africa right now, that two more rhino were poached this weekend.  Will, with the Leopard Project who had one of his rhino brutalized a week before our visit, told us that it takes these savages only 7 minutes to "harvest" a rhino horn.  Seven minutes to fly in with a helicopter, dart the animal, lop off the horn with a chain saw, grab it and run while the rhino is left in pain to bleed to death.

According to the media coordinator at KZN Wildlife both these most recent poachings were again, in reserves. This brings the total this year to over 200!  An all time high!  Les with True Ways Anti-poaching says the true number is probably way past 300!  Alarming as there are only around 3,000 rhino left. So we have to hustle.  Here's what you and I can do right now...

Please pass this along... we're in the process of gathering support for Anti-poaching units likes Les'.

Case in point: On the flight home I sat next to an interior designer just back from a week long safari. She had no idea of the extent of the problem. She was horrified and asked what she could do.

Please use your favorite media below to pass the word.