Chengeta |

Over the last couple of months I have spent close on eight hours in the company of some special young people with inquiring minds and I am so proud to be able to share their posters and a few of their essays with you all. During my last visit, I was privileged to be able to speak to each student about their chosen subject for their posters and essays and I was thrilled by their enthusiasm and passion. It did my heart good to listen to these future custodians telling me how they had done their research and it was exciting to see that it was not only the large iconic animals that were appealing to these children…but tragically, the common thread throughout is the interference from the ‘two legged creature’.

All of the children are aged between 9 and 11.

Blue Whales

Luke
The worst thing I’ve ever seen is a beached whale. The whale’s lying there like an exhausted dad after he’s got home from work. Only this whale was motionless, like it was waiting for something. But I knew that it was dead. A harpoon-shaped hole in its body. I made a promise to myself that I would try to stop the horrid thing known as whaling.

If you are wondering how many whales are alive there are 1,500 to 2,500. These creatures are being hunted. The problem is that if these species go extinct there will be too many krill and the ocean will be filled with krill and there will be no space for other sea creatures to live.

Later on they made a company that was called the International Whaling Commission, the IWC. You can join or support the IWC to help these poor creatures.

THE ICONIC RHINO

Black Rhinos

Alexander:

Black rhinos used to thrive in Africa. Now they are critically endangered. Every day rivers of blood lash out of the black rhinos. I’m certain that in their ancient minds they would say why? Why would you do this? I have children to look after yet you shoot me, rip out my horns like you don’t care.

We need to help them. Their horns (made of hair) are taken from them. In the USA, the black market sells black rhino horns for $30,000 per pound. They are brutally killed and have their horns hacked off.

We can’t ignore this. The black rhinos are magnificent creatures and soon they will be extinct. If the black rhinos die out the entire food chain will be thrown out of balance. To change their future you could start your own save the rhino committee and join others. Please do it for the black rhinos’ sake. We can’t allow th

White Rhinos

Joshua:

Northern White Rhinos are becoming extinct. Only six remain, all in captivity. Their horns cost more than gold or cocaine! If they were in the wild they’d live in grasslands and savannahs. They were poached for sport and for their horns.

This is a real problem because only six remain in the world. These knights in shining armour used to roam freely and weren’t afraid to fight. In a couple of years the Northern White Rhino will be extinct.

It may be too late to save these magnificent animals but it isn’t too late to save other like the Southern White Rhino. There are less than 14,500 Southern White Rhino left. These live in the southern part of Africa. Poachers shoot these knights in armour then cut their horns off.

There is enough time to save the Southern White Rhino and to stop this terrible sport known as poaching. All it takes is a group of people to care for these animals. We can’t let both die out. So please help; if they could talk they’d tell you themselves. And together we will stop poaching. Thank you for your time and help.

White Rhino

Amelie:

Why? Why is my only question. Why is it that poachers can be so careless and selfish enough to kill the magnificent white rhino? To be honest I think poachers are more of a beast than any other animal.

Trekking along, these harmless creatures roam freely, only to be shot with a silver bullet going straight through its protective armour. Sadly, due to poachers, one or two white rhinos are lost per day.

Poachers use these valuable horns for decoration and trophies but they are mainly ground up and used in traditional Chinese medicine.

Due to poachers cutting off the rhino’s greatest possession, the horn, rangers now are forced to do the same except rangers do it humanely. This helps because if a poacher sees a rhino with no horn they will know that means no treasure and they will move on. I feel people should acknowledge this.

These knights in shining armour have more courage than any other human knight, risking their life with every step they take along the unforgiving grassy African plains. I know that if this over-sized beast could talk it would ask you to support the white rhino charities, but it is just too weak so I am asking you on behalf of them.

POLAR BEARS

BEAUTIFUL PANDAS

CHARMING PENGUINS

THE UNIQUENESS OF THE CHAMELEON

Chameleons

Toby

Chameleons is an endangered species. They need shelter to blend in with their surroundings but now they can’t do that because of loggers and bush fires in the Amazon. The loggers and bush fires are destroying 150 different habitats and more animals.

The chameleon, slowly moving but tight on the branch. Staying still waiting for a buzzing fly to come past…suddenly…the chameleon’s tongue whipping out to get the fly, they never miss a shot. They blend in with their surroundings keeping an eye on what’s going on left and right. It’s amazing how they change colour to their surroundings, from the tops of the trees to the roots of a bush.

You could spread the word or you can start a campaign to stop loggers from cutting down trees. So please try and stop loggers for chameleons.

THE QUEENS OF THE SNOW

Snow Leopards

Ethan:

Lifeless, the furry head thumped on the ground, eyes once green like pure emeralds now a deep, hollow black. India, the most densely populated area of land for snow leopards. White snowflakes hang in the air like stars you might see hanging from a child’s ceiling. In a few hours a man will come along strip the animal of its skin just so it can lay on the floor of someone’

s living room and somebody can say “Ooh, that’s nice.” Lives like this of the innocent snow leopard are lost every single day.

People are pretty much the main reason for snow leopards dying out. If we want to expand we just do it, no thought about what effect this will have on the eco-system, the mountain habitat washed away, and with the habitat goes lives, snow leopards. Beautiful, sleek powerful legs so elegant. They waltz around the mountain, spot a human and bang! An innocent life lost.

If snow leopards become extinct it will have a massive effect on the eco-system. Many different things will happen, herbivores will destroy all plant life, meaning their extinction and bees will not be able to make honey or pollinate flowers. So as you can see the impact will be huge on the eco-system. So help stop this!

Some ways to stop snow leopards dying out is to adopt them through WWF or other companies dedicated to saving animals. This will have the animals placed in care and people will help them. They will also train people and help to arrest these ruthless poachers, those without souls.

There is hope; although those emerald green eyes will not shine again, many others can.

Snow Leopards

Alisha:

Snow leopards are the most magnificent creatures; your eyes are immediately hypnotised by their beauty. But do you know about the war between the snow leopards and the poachers? If not, may I say the snow leopards are losing?

Unfortunately to say these amazing extraordinary creatures are being poached: only 3,500 to 7,000 are left in the world – if you don’t do something about it then they’ll become extinct.

Why should these poor innocent creatures deserve to suffer? They don’t. I saw one once at a zoo and I was blown away by how precious these creatures are 0 their round, dopey eyes look sad yet at the same time their smiling, curious creatures make me interested by their mind blowing darkened gown topped with the crown jewels of snow. I love these creatures and it would break my heart into a million pieces if my grandchildren couldn’t see them. When I saw one in the zoo my eyes were fixed on their green, emerald eyes, looking at me with disappointment then it turned around leaving me ashamed.

The large adult male stands tall like a soldier ready to defend its family 0 snow leopards are just like us, they defend their family no matter what. Due to this my dream would be to see a snow leopard in the wild in their winter wonderland habitat where the mother of the lot watches the favourite prey, wild goat! She would let out a loud shriek, then two smaller snow leopards would come sneaking up camouflaged in the snow playing with each other – their think fluffy fur like silk would be hidden under the snow. Their big puppy dog eyes would stare at one another then once more carry on playing.

They are so sweet and amazing these creatures but they are dying. There is a way to stop this war and see the snow leopards rise up as the rightful king of the snow! If you share the same passion for snow leopards then get involved, learn and see what you can do. Put a smile on their face for a change. It would make the world of difference.

CHEETAHS CRYING IN CRISIS

THE MAGICAL HEDGEHOG

RESCUE CENTRE

WONDERFUL POSTERS FROM A CLASS OF CARING CHILDREN.

THANK YOU ALL FOR INVITING ME NOT ONLY ONCE…BUT THREE TIMES INTO YOUR

CLASSROOM. IT HAS BEEN AN EXHILARATING AND SPECIAL EXPERIENCE FOR ME.

AND OF COURSE….THEY ARE KEEPING UP TO DATE

ON WHAT RORY IS DOING …THROUGH CHENGETA WILDLIFE

I was reading somewhere that one should align oneself with the wisdom of nature! So getting as close to nature as I can …I lie flat on my back on the spongy green lawn staring up at the pale blue sky decorated with thousands of wispy vapour trails. A bumble bee whirs slowly past droning close to my ear. I close my eyes ignoring the bumble bee imagining instead the indigo hues deepening through the African bush as daylight wanes. My mind marches along to Africa’s timeless rhythms wondering what has gone wrong in this intricate web that we call life. Squinting up at the diaphanous vapour trails, I speculate on the fact that once man has ruined this planet, that maybe with all this modern technology and transport, thinks we have another planet to go to?

I stop my mind from marching and pull my thoughts close. I need to think about something that makes me feel better. I sit bolt upright. No…the goal is not about feeling better. It is about getting better at feeling. It is about compassion and justice. These are two words that many world wide seem to lack in.

Why is it that a continent blessed with riches and natural resources has blood flowing into the rivers? Corruption and greed: my mind feeds on this information, chewing quickly and swallowing. This I already know, and it gives me indigestion.

How is that the ‘dentine body parts’ from these magnificent and sentient creatures ends up in countries far from where they belong. I feel myself choking with emotion and a stomach churning weightlessness. My dad died in a country far away from where he was born due to political upheaval and a touch of corruption. I remember how I could see beyond the cheerful exterior… sadness had a firm hand on his shoulder, but with a bright smile he would always maintain that he was one of the lucky ones. I always worried about dad’s ashes as I know deep down that they do not belong here in this country. (His ashes are buried in a huge pot and I have planted a tree.) They belong back on Ferndale farm Umtali/Mutare in Zimbabwe where he was born, and although he did not farm the farm, he loved it and all those that lived there with his whole being.

Tusks from these sentient creatures also do not belong on somebody’s table or mantle piece thousands of miles from where they come from. They belong in the land of their birth….and on the land. (I know I am an idealist).

I watch a plane whizzing past and I imagine that there could be contraband in the hold. Do the people who create the demand have any idea of the bloodshed this demand is creating? (infographic for Rory Young and Chengeta Wildlife).

A huge thank you to Joe Chernov, Robin Richards and Leslie Bradshaw for creating the infographic for Rory Young and Chengeta Wildlife.

Ivory carving has a history of 5 000 years according to archaeological studies. These carvers are desperate to keep the art of carving alive, claiming that they have tried to combine wood and ivory, ox and camel bones but nothing can compete with ivory. Yes, the carvers work is intricate but it lacks the life and luminescence that one gets from ivory where it rightly belongs: on an elephant. How can they hope to achieve something beautiful from something that is so symbolic of suffering and death. I do not believe they can.

Coming from Zimbabwe, I do not believe that anything can be more beautiful or real that sitting quietly watching the fire of dawn bursting over the horizon and lighting the way for a herd of elephants. One cannot describe the elation of being in an open air amphitheater where fingers of sunshine caress your cheeks and the sweet smell of buffalo dung fills your nostrils. DEAD IVORY does nothing except symbolize ‘death’. Southern Africa is where the big five roam. This is where elephants amble past with the lightness and grace of dancers. This is a wild paradise with limitless skies and a rugged beauty. This is where survival of the fittest should be the rule of law..but greed and corruption are ruining this natural world where the land pulsates with a subliminal rumble that one feels rather than hears. This natural world is being desecrated and the demand for ivory, rhino horn and other animal parts is out of control.

China, please do not allow the demand for ivory to wipe out an entire species. The only enemy our African bush and her wildlife riches has to fear is man..the biggest and most lethal predator. I continue to lie flat on my back staring up at the sky. Where do we go from here? I roll over onto my stomach and flicking open my folder, I continue to read ‘The Field Manual for Anti Poaching Activities’..written by Rory Young and Yakov Alexseyev I take a deep sigh feeling my heart hammering a little faster. Yes there is hope out there. We just need to get this manual out to every anti-poaching ranger.

This book is an absolute must for those who do anti-poaching work. It is an intriguing read for the lay person who wants to understand how skilled professionals deal with dangerous criminals in the bush.

We also need Governments to take responsibility before it is too late. I am sharing a link to this must see interview with Rory Young from Chengeta Wildlife. Rory is on the ground and gives a clear overview of the current catastrophic levels of poaching. A passionate plea for action rather than words. Rory, thank you.

China, please put a stop to the demand for ivory. Do not let this become ‘The last Call of The Elephant’. (My poem)

Chengeta

Young Minds…New Sunrises

The Land Of The Elephants