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This beautiful specimen is now on show in Klerksdorp. Klerksdorp Volkswagen are proudly displaying their amazing rhino to promote the Unite against Poaching intitiative, he is certainly very impressive!!

October 2011 pledges

So far 652 vehicles sold in October.

That translates to R326 000 pledges to the trust fund for UNITE AGAINST POACHING

Hoping for a last minute rush to get us to a target of at least R400 000.

We need to keep fighting the poachers... keep up the great work!!

How to transport a rhino... Imagine the other drivers on the road...

This is the Audi East Rand Unite Against Poaching Rhino en-route to a display at a golf day !!!

Unite Against Poaching use DNA to stop poaching

Unite Against Poaching, a collaboration between Unitrans and the SANParks Honorary Rangers, has announced that it will donate R 250 000 towards a project which uses the latest DNA profiling techniques against the Rhino poaching scourge which is decimating the rhino population in Southern Africa.

With the number of poached animals set to top 400 rhino this year, the DNA profiling and identification of rhino and rhino parts, can play a major role to trace and prosecute rhino poachers.  The RhODIS (Rhino DNA Index System) project is run by the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory at the Faculty of Veterinary Science of the University of Pretoria at Onderstepoort.  The institution has developed and validated a DNA profiling technique which can individually identify rhinoceros horns and link recovered horns to individual poaching cases, thereby linking a horn trafficker to a poaching incident or a poacher caught with horns in his possession with the carcass of an individual rhinoceros. This provides the forensic evidence for conviction and harsher sentencing.

Read more: DNA Profiling for Rhinos

ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS ON 12 OCTOBER 2011

STATEMENT BY MINISTER OF WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS, MINISTER EDNA MOLEWA ON RHINO POACHING AFTER ENGAGING PROVINCES

A recently held meeting of the Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs and the provincial MECs responsible for environment (MINMEC) has recommended that a moratorium on hunting of rhinoceros be considered as a last resort after all options have been explored.

It should however be noted that , the Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs reserves the right to institute a moratorium if there is a clear abuse or absolute collapse in any of the provincial permitting systems.

Read more: Dept Environmental affairs statement 12 Oct 2011