For as long as I can remember, we’ve been celebrating Spring Day in Southern Africa. As a little child, we used to gather flowers from our gardens and go on a school trip to the town’s offices to deliver flowers. Spreading colour and life in the world, flowers such a simple but uplifting joy. This Spring Day 2011, however, will be different.
Over the last 2 weeks we have lost Absa the rhino, the fighting rhino who was fatally injured by poachers at Aquila Game Reserve outside of Cape Town. In yesterday morning’s newspaper, more reports of rhino poaching up country came to light, with the carcas only being found about 10 days after the crime. In an effort to protest against rhino poaching, South Africans (and others) have decided to wear black ribbons on the 1st of September, Spring Day. Wearing black has also been suggested but Spring is about celebrating life so I feel this is a bridge too far!
The other option is to place a black ribbon on one’s car or bike mirror. Pic Badges.com is a site dedicated to supporting this initiative along with Aquila Game Reserve and animal lovers all over the globe. September 22nd is World Rhino Day and Cape Townians will be marching through the streets to show their support. Here is the Facebook event: Walking for Rhino.
So if whether you care about animals or not, one can not deny the waste and cruelty associated with poaching, of all species. If you do not care to sport a black ribbon, perhaps you could spread the awareness to your animal loving friends and colleagues. Sharing information is just as important as action. Save the rhino.
