38 replies to this topic

[Ross]

Black rhino machine-gunned down in Zim
November 08 2007 at 09:57PM
Harare - Poachers have shot dead three black rhinoceros - a species listed as the most highly endangered large mammal on earth - on a private conservancy, its owner said Thursday.

to read the rest of the article click here:

http://www.int.iol.c...01507869C229299

[Jude]

News just in from Zimbabwe:

Last night Three Rhino on Imire Safari Ranch were shot by men with AK47's.

The Rhino were the only things that kept the farm out of the government's hands. It is believed that a government official ordered these men kill the Rhino, they tied up the guards and shot all three rhino. One of the rhino was about to give birth this week.

Imire Game farm also have elephant which could be the next ones to go.

The person who is the source of this information is related to the white owners of the Imire Safari Ranch, they are currently getting photos and detailed descriptions and will write to the international media. Please forward to your networks and alert conservation agencies.

It is clear that this is about land procurement by force and the removal of the white owners.


To visit the Imire Safari Ranch website click here:

http://www.imiresafariranch.co.zw/

To visit the SAVE Foundation website click here:

www.savefoundation.org.au

[Game Warden]

I received the following from Johnny Rodrigues of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force. All images courtesy © Johnny Rodrigues

It is with utter shock, horror and disbelief that we report the massacre of 3 black rhino at the hands of poachers on the night of the 7th November 2007 at Imire Safari Ranch.

Just over 20 years ago, Imire Safari Ranch became the guardians of 7 orphaned black rhino. The purpose of this was to try and increase the population of the endangered species and over the past 2 decades, the Travers family have lovingly reared and bred these animals, successfully releasing 13 black rhino back into Matusadonna National Park.

Last Wednesday night, the 7th of November, 4 armed poachers dressed in camougflage uniform, assaulted and tied up the rhino guards and opened fire on the 3 adult rhino in their pens. All 3 were killed - Sprinter, a male, DJ, a female who had recently given birth to a calf and tragically, Amber a pregnant female who was due to give birth in a week. Amber's unborn calf also died.

The 3 rhino had been dehorned 6 weeks ago in an effort to make them less attractive to poachers but nevertheless, the poachers tried to hack out the inch of new horn growth from one of the rhinos before being frightened off by the sound of a car approaching.

Imire Safari Ranch are now left with 4 orphaned rhinos including DJ's 6 week old calf and they are offering a reward to anyone who can lead them to the despicable people who were responsible for the massacre.

The photos in this report are of a black rhino at Imire Safari Ranch which we were very fortunate to see a few months ago.

We extend our deepest sympathy to the Travers family and their team for their tragic loss.

To read the latest Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force newsletter covering this rhino killing click here:

www.safaritalk.net/index.php?showtopic=1403

[Game Warden]

ZIMBABWE CONSERVATION TASK FORCE

15th November 2007

On the 12th November 2007, we circulated a very disturbing report about the three black rhino that were shot at Imire Safari Ranch. The Travers family have informed us that people are responding to their appeal for funds so that they can offer a reward to anyone giving information leading to the capture and conviction of the perpetrators of this atrocity. They are extremely grateful to all those who have contributed so far.

We have now received some very sad photos of the deceased rhino which can be seen further down in this report. It is not our intention to upset people so anyone of a sensitive nature should not scroll down any further.

Tatenda, the 6 week old calf of DJ who was shot by the poachers last Wednesday night, is now being bottle fed by Judy Travers.

TATENDA ORPHANED

JUDY AND TATENDA

The poachers were disturbed whilst trying to remove Sprinter's horn which had only grown about an inch since being dehorned.

DJ - TATENDA'S MOTHER

SPRINTER

Amber was heavily pregnant, only a week away from giving birth to her calf.

AMBER

AMBER'S UNBORN CALF

The different species of animals at Imire interact with each other. They are like a big happy family and visitors to the ranch will often see elephants and rhino walking together through the game park. This would explain why the Imire elephants reacted to the deaths of the rhino in much the same way as elephants do when one of their own is killed. They gathered at the slaughter site, apparently comforting each other. One elephant in particular had been Amber's special companion and was attempting to dig a grave.

ELEPHANTS COMFORTING EACH OTHER

AMBER'S SOUL MATE GRAVE DIGGING

You can support Imire by paying them a visit. They are only an hour's drive from Harare along the Mutare Road and you will find it an unforgettable experience.

Johnny Rodrigues

Chairman for Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force

Tel: 263 4 336710
Fax/Tel: 263 4 339065
Mobile: 263 11 603 213
Email: galorand@mweb.co.zw
Website: www.zimbabwe-art.com
Website: www.zctf.mweb.co.zw

[Jude]

Nicholas Duncan of the SAVE Foundation (Australia) writes:

It's finally happened! What we've all been dreading for years, a rhino attack at Imire. Last Wednesday night, five armed poachers, all with AK47s, needlessly raided the rhino pens at Imire Game Ranch, intimidated and attacked the guards and proceeded to shoot dead all three adult rhinos, Amber, DJ and Sprinter. Words cannot describe the pain that we all feel - three beautiful rhinos, part of an amazingly successful rhino breeding programme. In July, they had been dehorned as a precautionary measure against this sort of growing activity. Yet they chopped away at Sprinter's head just for a few centimeters!

Twenty years ago, seven young rhino calves were transferred from the rhino battlefields of the Zambezi Valley to a new, safer home at Imire, a pioneer game ranch. What has followed has been an incredible story of love and devotion from all the Travers family to their extended rhino family. From hand rearing to sub adulthood, to mating to their first calf, to repatriation to the wilds and recently to their fourteenth calf!

This has been one of the wonders of the rhino world! Make no mistake about that! These seven rhinos have made a major contribution to Zimbabwe's rhino conservation efforts of the last twenty years. The dominant male and female were introduced back to the wild in the late nineties, Noddy went to Botswana to join a breeding programme there, Mvu was killed by a rampaging elephant in 2004, and now Amber, DJ and Sprinter have left us. Such a tragedy! And with a six week old calf from DJ and Amber was two weeks away from delivering a little female calf. Oh so sad!

All these rhinos had given so much joy to the thousands of tourists who've visited them over the years. Imire has always been our first port of call for all our Zimbabwe tours - such a unique rhino experience. Our two recent groups had the time of their lives there in September, interacting with all three of them. How we all loved them. And in May, we filmed part of a documentary there, which premiered to the world at our AGM in July. It is a truly magnificent documentary, now a tribute to Amber, DJ and Sprinter.

To Norman and Gill, John and Judy, all the Travers children, and to Mike and Sheila, we find it hard to adequately express our fury at all of this and we want you to know that you are all in our thoughts and prayers. We thank you for all that you've done in the past twenty years - it hasn't been in vain, their legacy lives on! And we shan't ever forget them.

To honour the lives and deaths of Amber, DJ and Sprinter, and in memory of Mvu, we are launching a special Imire Rhino Fund, the proceeds of which will be used in the best possible way - reward money, milk powder and glucose for Tatenda (thank you in Shona), the new little male calf, and increased protection for other captive-bred rhinos.

For all tax deductible donations of $100 or more we will send you a DVD, "That we still have rhinos..," our world class documentary from the May trip, the story of some of our projects in Zimbabwe.

How you can help...


Simply make a direct deposit in to SAVES Foundation (Australia) account,
Commonwealth Bank of Australia -CBA,
BSB: 066113,
Account #: 1004 4343

or post your cheque or credit card details to
229 Oxford Street, Leederville, WA 6007.

For a direct deposit, please email your name and address for your receipt and DVD.
Please mark your bank entry with your name and IRF.

Thank you.

Nicholas Duncan
SAVE FOUNDATION of Australia
229 Oxford Street
Leederville, Western Australia 6007
Telephone ...61 8 9444 6550
Facsimile ...61 8 9444 9270
Mobile ...61 417 937 655
www.savefoundation.org.au
nicholas@savefoundation.org.au

[Game Warden]

For those of you who are Facebook members the Imire tragedy is being reported on "The Slaughter of the Black Rhino of Imire Safari Ranch Zimbabwe" group which can be found under Common Interest - Current Events. To access the group, (if not a Facebook member you will have to register as one) click here:

www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=20105984992

Creator Stuart Martin is providing regular updates and is in contact with me to provide the most up to date details for Safaritalk, and I have joined the group as a member.

There is an extensive image library with some excellent shots uploaded by Stuart and are well worth browsing through.

[Game Warden]

The following is a letter sent by John and Judy Travers to a concerned friend. (Previously published on the Facebook The Slaughter of the Black Rhino of Imire Safari Ranch Zimbabwe group. Republished with permission.)

Bless you for the wonderful email we have had from you.

Its been beautiful receiving all this incredible mail... there is so much love, support, prayers and words of massive comfort, its been an incredible sharing of agony. We have also found so many special friends that have come out of the woodworks, its quite fantastic. Zimbabwe will always remain a community where ever we are, and when the chips are down our friends stand up. Thankyou for everything and still being around, even though there are seas between us.

The loss of our four rhino's, the fourth rhino being, the little unborn calf have woken up the rest of the world, as to how out of kilter man has become with his greed.

The world are in tears, there is an out cry for justice, there is a feeling of extreme anger from all four corners of our planet. Those rhino have given so many people including us on Imire, the most wonderful privilege of sharing incredible moments with them. Their hugeness, their presence, their gentleness we all took for granted, it was a forever...now its gone!

I cant quite describe the feeling of loss and grief we are in...Today a week from when it happened is a very low day...there is a silence that hangs over us in a still form.

The energy of Imire has gone for now.

We are devastated through to the very core of our hearts. Its painful. We will gather ourselves up again and move on, but today its not easy, thankgoodness we still have so much here on Imire, we have the elephant, the babes, we have the magic world of wildlife.

All these creatures need our love and time, so we do move on, we don't sit still, but that space of our beautiful Amber, DJ and Sprinter will never be filled again.

Thankyou for sharing this moment with us, its been so special.

Tatenda is filling up the hours in a day. We are going to move him to our house, as the run up to the bomas is endless. John also needs to have me back snuggled in his bed. The haystack, Reilly and I have been sharing with Mishek and the rats, has had its time.

Please keep in touch, I'm so sorry we haven't been able to write sooner, but together with no phones, powercuts, and feeding Tatenda seems to keep us away from all comms.

Thankyou again for all your support and letters, its taken us all through the worst.

All our love from us on Imire
Judy and John

PS The next day.. as I'm finishing off this letter, Reilly has just radioed to say he and Mishek have walked Tatenda 7 kms to our home. He is enchanted by everything, and thrilled with life itself.... how brillant is that? we now have him safe in our garden together with the warthog and dogs. He also seems to have found the sitting room a social place to be.

[Game Warden]

This is the latest update from Johnny Rodrigues of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force.

27th November 2007

Following the appeal circulated for funds to put towards a reward for the capture of the criminals who gunned down the 4 rhino, Amber, her almost full term unborn calf, DJ and Sprinter at Imire Safari Ranch, the following is a thank you letter from John and Judy Travers of Imire:

IN MEMORY OF AMBER, DJ AND SPRINTER

Imire Safari Ranch What is man without the beast? If all the Beasts were gone man would die from
great loneliness of spirit. For whatever happens to the beasts soon happens to man…
All are connected”. – Chief Seattle

Imire Safari Ranch, would like to thank each and every one of you, who without hesitation, have put your hands deep into your pockets, to help us find the culprits to the murder of our four beautiful Rhino.

The response has been overwhelming, we never thought it would get to this.

The cry for justice, the need to protect and cherish what is left of these already endangered animals , has affected so very many people, all over the world.

The letters of concern, of condolence, of reward have helped us all on Imire to realize we are not out there in the wilderness on our own. Its been extremely heart warming and therapeutic to share your understanding of our need to protect the few rhino left on our planet. To know of the joy the Imire Rhino have brought to so many people, its been wonderful.

Thank-you for all you have donated, however large or small, we hope it will bring the perpetrator to sentence. The carrot is big.

We have set up a new Account, it’s a Trust run by Steve Turk. Any monies that have been put into the Zimbank a/c will be transferred tomorrow. This is for Zimbabwean Residents.

Details

DatVest Nominees
Stanbic Bank,
Parklane
01 4000 481 860
Imire Black Rhino Fund.

For Foreign Donors

We are close to registering Imire Reward Fund with a Charity known as Conservation Zambezi, based in the UK. The Rhino's original homeland ..the mighty Zambezi.

As soon as the finer details have been completed we will inform you all.

I’m so very sorry we haven’t been able to get back to each of you individually, we will in time, I can assure you. It’s just that life has been in a bit of a turmoil of late, and together with no power, even less telephones, and a computer that will not send off photo’s, we have been so slow in thanking you all.

All monies are to be dealt with by the Trusts.

Of course if we don’t find the culprits, all your money will be returned to you.

We feel very strongly that National Parks must play an important role in this vital search. We have a meeting with them tomorrow, hopefully they will do the posters with the National Park emblem, and be responsible for the distribution of the Reward Posters.

Tatenda is great, very happy and settled in his new home, joining his new family whenever he can.He loves his walks with the dogs and PigglePoggol the warthog, he is beautiful.

What a privilege it is to be his Mum.

Thank-you, again from us all on Imire, and from us all in Zimbabwe, for your support and wishes to find the perpetrators of this evil crime of destroying what isn’t ours anyway, the Black Rhino.

We will keep in touch with you all.

Yours sincerely

John and Judy Travers

APPEAL FOR TATENDA

Judy Travers has now become the substitute mother of Tatenda, the little rhino who was left orphaned by the tragedy at the age of 6 weeks.

MOTHERLY LOVE

Keeping Tatenda alive is not just a simple matter of filling a bottle with milk and feeding him. The milk he needs must have the same components as his mother's milk. Without this, he will die. He also needs glucose water, vitamins and teats. Not only is this extremely expensive, but after numerous phone calls, we have found that some of the nutrients required do not seem to be available in Zimbabwe. Tatenda goes through a lot of teats because he chews them and so far, we haven't been able to find any.

In order for Tatenda to stay alive, he requires the following, every month:

• 60kg skimmed milk powder with NO fat. Any fat in the milk will kill him.
• 24kg glucose powder
• 3 litres Datvitamin syrup - the same type given to children
• 3 litres Pentavita citrus flavoured syrup
• Lots of teats - about 10cm long

Please, if anyone can help with any of the above, with funds or just by telling us how we can obtain these things, we would be very grateful. Our contact details are at the foot of this report. The black rhino is an endangered species and we cannot stress enough how important it is to keep Tatenda alive.

The glucose powder is available in Zimbabwe but we don't know how long stocks will last and we have so far only been able to find 3 x 200ml bottles of Datvitamin syrup. We have been told that the fat free skimmed milk powder is only available in New Zealand. If anyone knows where else we can obtain it, please let us know as soon as possible. With regard to the Pentavita syrup and the teats, we have phoned numerous outlets and have not been able to find them.

The ZCTF team has been visiting Tatenda at Imire and we cannot adequately describe what an incredibly beautiful and perfect little animal he is. For a truly unforgettable experience, we encourage everyone who is within driving distance of Imire, to go and meet him while he is still a baby.

Johnny meeting TATENDA

A word of warning though, having lost his mother, Tatenda tries to suck anything he comes in contact with, for example:

Arms

and especially

knees

He is particularly partial to knees so don't disappoint him by wearing trousers.

MAIN ATTRACTION

Although Tatenda is currently the main attraction at Imire, he is by no means the only attraction. You will witness the amazing sight of an elephant who thinks he is a buffalo and has become the leader of the herd. Under the circumstances, the buffalo probably didn't have much choice in the matter. When a buffalo calf died, this elephant dug a metre deep grave in the hard dry earth, pushed the little buffalo into it and covered the grave with soil.

You will also have the privilege of being able to touch fully grown elephants in the wild. You will be able to have lunch at a beautiful site in the game park, overlooking a dam, whilst watching the elephants frolicking in the water.

Anyone wishing to visit Imire should phone them in advance to give them the chance to prepare food, refreshments and game drives for you. Their phone numbers are 022 2354 or 022 2094. For those who would like to stay for a few days, they have lovely chalets and a swimming pool and their prices are very reasonable. The turn-off is on the Mutare Road, just before Marondera if you are travelling from Harare. It is well sign-posted so you can't miss it. Please help to save Zimbabwe's remaining black rhino population by supporting them.

Johnny Rodrigues
Chairman for Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force
Tel: 263 4 336710
Fax/Tel: 263 4 339065
Mobile: 263 11 603 213
Email: galorand@mweb.co.zw
Website: www.zimbabwe-art.com
Website: www.zctf.mweb.co.zw

[Game Warden]

Nyama has just forwarded me the following images he's received from Zimbabwe. The photos are from Jenny Nobes, Rhino Safari Camp, Matusadonha. www.rhinosafaricamp.com.

As Nyama writes, it "looks like little Tatenda is doing fine."

[Game Warden]

bagheera.com carries on essay examining the cause of the black Rhino being poached to extinction. Entitled "VANISHING IN THE WILD: BLACK RHINO" it cites the main trade in the ivory horn comes from the oil rich nation of Yemen, stating:

For example, in 1990, the two horns from a single black rhino brought as much as $50,000.

To read the full article click here:

www.bagheera.com/inthewild/van_anim_rhino.htm

[Game Warden]

ZIMBABWE CONSERVATION TASK FORCE

4th December 2007

Many of you who have expressed a wish to donate to Imire towards the reward money for the capture of the criminals who killed Amber, DJ and Sprinter, have requested the international banking details. The Travers family have now set up an account and you will find the details below in the revised version of the reward fund letter.

In the original letter, a digit was left off the Zimbabwean bank account number but this has now been corrected in the letter below. We apologize to anyone who may have had a problem donating into this account.

Johnny Rodrigues
Chairman for Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force
Tel: 263 4 336710
Fax/Tel: 263 4 339065
Mobile: 263 11 603 213
Email: galorand@mweb.co.zw
Website: www.zimbabwe-art.com
Website: www.zctf.mweb.co.zw

Imire Safari Ranch
“What is man without the beast? If all the Beasts were gone man would die from great loneliness
of spirit. For whatever happens to the beasts soon happens to man…
All are connected”. – Chief Seattle

Imire Safari Ranch, would like to thank each and everyone of you, who without hesitation, have put your hands deep into your pockets and hearts, to help us find the culprits who were responsible for the murder of our four beautiful Rhino.
The letters of prayer, love and concern, condolence and reward have helped all of us on Imire to realise that we are not out there in the wilderness alone. It's been extremely heart warming and healing to know of the joy that the Imire Rhino have brought to so many people all over the world.

The response has been overwhelming, we have realised that the agonies are shared by so many. The cry for justice, the need to protect and cherish what is left of these already endangered animals, is the call and concern of so many voices.

The Trust Fund in Zimbabwe is growing very fast and the generosity is incredible. Someone will squeal very soon. The reward notices will be out next week throughout the country. They are to be spread throughout Zimbabwe, under the instruction of the National Parks. It will be broadcast on the radio stations, ZBC and in the newspapers. The support of the National Parks has been exceptional.

We have recently set up a new account. It is a Trust Fund which is being run by Steve Turk. Any monies that have been put into the Zimbank a/c have been transferred to this fund.

For Zimbabwean Residents:

DatVest Nominees

Imire Black Rhino Fund

01 4000 481 8602

Stanbic Bank

Parklane

For Foreign Donors:

SAVE FOUNDATION DONATION FUND

Commonwealth Bank of Australia

Leederville Branch

BSB 066113

Swift Code CTBAAU2S

A/C number 1004 4343

or

Post a Cheque to

SAVE FOUNDATION

229 Oxford Street

Leederville

Western Australia

6007

or

e-mail a credit card number to nicholas@savefoundation.org.au

Tel: +6189 444 9270

Tatenda is very happy and settled in his new home, joining his new family whenever he can. He loves his walks with the dogs and PigglePoggol the warthog, he is beautiful. What a privilege it is to be his Mum.

Thank-you, again from all of us on Imire, and from us all in Zimbabwe for your support and wishes to find the perpetrators of this evil crime of destroying what isn’t ours anyway, the Black Rhino.

We will keep in touch with you all.

Yours sincerely

John and Judy Travers

[Game Warden]

The following images have been received from Zimbabwean member Gavin Fahrenfort, and what wonderful images they are. Further details are coming from Gavin but in the meantime here are the photos:

Some of these images truly brought tears to my eyes: so sad for what the world has lost, so glad of what we still have.

[Game Warden]

Exclusive recent video footage of Tatenda taken by Safaritalk member Gavin Fahrenfort at Imire. Tatenda who is totally defenceless and is requiring 18 months of intensive human care as Rhino calves do not get adopted by surrogate mature mother rhino, as is the case with many other species. Also, a mature adult will normally only have max 2 babies in their lifetime. They also cannot breed before 3 years of age, carry for 15 months, and are extremely sensitive to habitat changes.

[Game Warden]

You and me both Nyama! Wonderful video and photos from Gavin.

[Jude]

In a world gone mad it is heartening to see the dedication and compassion expressed by all those who have assisted Imire Safari Ranch and their Rhino by donations, support and strength shared.

This response from people all over the world is what it is all about - sustenance, perseverence, the ability to witness AND to do something constructive.

[Game Warden]

Al Jazeera reports on Zimbabwe's fight to save the rhino, including a tearful scene with Judy Travers of Imire.

[Game Warden]

More exclusive Safaritalk footage of Tatenda, taken by Zimbabwean member Gavin Fahrenfort at Imire.

[Game Warden]

IMIRE - Judy Travers explaining future protection measures at Imire.

In an exclusive interview with Judy Travers, who successfully runs the Imire Rhino project on her farm, Johnny Rodrigues (ZCTF) and Safaritalk member Gavin Fahrenfort speak about what steps need to be urgently taken to prevent further attacks on her other 3 adolescent rhino.