- Dear Family and Friends,
-
- Tragedy came to my home area this week and I write this
letter for a family represented by three generations who have worked to
save an endangered species for Zimbabwe. More specifically I write this
letter for D.J., Amber, and Gomo who were shot and killed one night this
week.
-
- These three Black Rhino were saved from rampant poaching
that was ravaging Zimbabwe in the mid 1980's. Seven young Black Rhino calves,
three males and four females were sent to Imire Game Park where they were
hand reared. Standing chest high they were bottle fed on a carefully worked
out milk formula from five litre plastic bottles fitted with calf teats.
You have to see this to really appreciate it, the pushing and shoving,
the loud schlurping noises and contented glugging, the vast streams of
silver dribble and the look of contentment and pure delight in the eyes
of the young animals.
-
- These seven Black Rhino were part of a grand scheme by
farmers and Government to save a species. Private Game Parks and Conservancies,
at entirely their own risk and expense, would rear the animals, allow them
to breed and then return the offspring to National Parks so that all Zimbabweans
could share in this wonderous heritage.
-
- Over 20 years those seven Black Rhino thrived at Imire.
This was a superb achievement - for man and animal. The Rhino had to be
guarded from poachers, day and night; they had to be fed on massive amounts
of purchased supplementary feed and they had to be contented enough to
breed and for the females to carry their calves for the full 450 day gestation.
Vets and experts came in when needed and de-horned the Rhinos, removing
the matted hair-like structure which was the lure to the poachers and the
very cause of their persecution. Over two decades the Travers' family
returned more than half a dozen Black Rhino reared on Imire to the Department
of National Parks and gave a great gift back to our country.
-
- Four poachers came to Imire at around 9.30 in the evening
this week. D.J. was shot and killed. Her calf, just a few weeks old, survived.
Amber, heavily pregnant, was shot and killed. Her unborn calf, almost at
full term, did not survive. Gomo, a male, was shot and killed. The horn
stump from one rhino, perhaps one handful, was taken by the poachers.
-
- D.J.'s calf will be hand reared on Imire with two other
young rhino. Already that precious milk formula has been sought and the
ingredients searched for in this time of madness when our shops are empty
and almost all goods are unobtainable.
-
- I do not know the details of the crime, the slaughter
and the perpetrators but I feel a great sadness inside me. It is many years
since I had first hand encounters with elephants and rhino but they are
memories ingrained in my heart: the feel of their skin, the look in their
eyes, the sounds they make and the smell of them and knowing that their
lives and their future depended on us. We must not give up.
-
-
- Until next week, thanks for reading,
-
-
- love cathy.
-
-
- Copyright cathy buckle 10 November 2007 <http://www.cathybuckle.com>www.cathybuckle.com
My books: "African Tears" and "Beyond Tears" are available
in South Africa from: <mailto:books@clarkesbooks.co.za>books@clarkesbooks.co.za
and in the UK from <mailto:orders@africabookcentre.com>orders@africabookcentre.com
To subscribe/unsubscribe to this newsletter, please write to: <mailto:cbuckle@mango.zw>cbuckle@mango.zw
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