Horns of a dilemma: retiree to fly 80 South African rhinos to Australia [View all]
Source: Agence France-Presse
Horns of a dilemma: retiree to fly 80 South African rhinos to Australia
Former sales executive who emigrated to Australia 30 years ago is hatching a daring plan in an attempt to save the species from poachers
Agence France-Presse
Friday 13 May 2016 22.26 EDT
A retired South African sales executive who emigrated to Australia 30 years ago is hatching a daring plan to airlift 80 rhinos to his adopted country in an attempt to save the species from poachers.
Flying each animal on the 11,000-kilometre journey will cost about $A60,500, but Ray Dearlove believes the expense and risk is essential as poaching deaths have soared in recent years.
The rhinos will be relocated to a safari park in Australia, which is being kept secret for security reasons, where they will become a “seed bank” to breed future generations.
“Our grand plan is to move 80 over a four-year period. We think that will provide the nucleus of a good breeding herd,” Dearlove said while visiting South Africa to organise for the first batch to be flown out.
Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/may/14/horns-of-a-dilemma-retiree-to-fly-80-south-african-rhinos-to-australia
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Ray Dearlove with very young rhinos. [/center]
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