News

With the support and encouragement from the Marakele Park Management, the Marakele Honorary Rangers were, for the fifth consecutive year, responsible for building and helping to manage the Marakele National Park stand at the Thabazimbi Wild Expo, which ran from 26 – 30 April 2006.

The theme this year was Counter Poaching and the Honorary Rangers together with Counter Poaching & Ranger Support Services Unit put up a well-received stand for the public.

The stand showcased the activities and beauty of Marakele National Park, and allowed members of the public to book early morning game walks and afternoon game drives with sundowners at the top of the mountain.

In keeping with the theme Counter Poaching, the display was used to raise public awareness about the challenges faced by the Counter Poaching and Ranger Support Services on a daily basis. “The photographs of snared wild animals, genuine skulls, traps and snares that have been found or confiscated from poachers, made a big impression on the public” says Bennie Coetzee from the Marakele Region Honorary Rangers, explaining that people as a rule were quite shocked to witness the brutally and cruelty associated with game poaching. The pictures depicting the terrible wounds and suffering that result from poaching seemed to have made the biggest impression on the public.

With generous sponsorship from SASOL and Sappi the Expo also provided a chance run a “Tree Identification Quiz”, and hand out prizes to the public.

Counter Poaching & Ranger Support Services is a National Project and similar displays are also organised by the Honorary Rangers in other major centres in South Africa.

The next event involving the Marakele region Honorary rangers is the the Marakele Birding Breakaway from 20-22 October 2006. For more information on the Marakele Honorary Rangers please contact Bennie Coetzee at [email protected]