ProjectThorn

The lead ranger for the canine unit we sponsored just ran an 86km ultra marathon in boots and full APU gear.
This is the kind of commitment it takes to be an APU Ranger - it is an effort that typically goes unnoticed patrolling in the bush.

Congratulations Pierre Barau!

ZO NEWS | Zululand K9 ranger tackles Comrades in full combat gear
Read more here: https://www.citizen.co.za/zululand-observer/news-headlines/local-news/2024/06/16/zululand-k9-ranger-tackles-comrades-in-full-combat-gear/

Last chance to purchase Project Thorn Sun shirts and cycling kits.

www.voler.com

Today's ProjectThorn Thank You goes to Mary Bell. Thank you for your support of wildlife conservation.

There are many overdue thank-you posts to donors. The posts will resume in the coming days now that I have access to my computer again.

Also, apologies for the ProjectThorn website being down for the last 2 months and my not being able to update the site as I had intended - many things on the Cape Epic did not go as intended... but what did go as planned was Buying the Truck for AmazuluK9!!!

Thank you for all the support and donations. The canine unit has been so successful. It is truly remarkable. My heart is full of gratitude to everyone who supported our fundraising efforts.

One of the tactics to prevent poaching it to “dehorn” the rhinos. Dehorning is a misnomer as the horn is trimmed not removed.
A rhino’s horn is keratin. It the same as fingernails or hair. If you think of the horn like a dog’s toenail, it continues to grow after it is trimmed but you have to not hit the quick where the blood and nerves are. Much like a dog’s toenails that grow back, the horn of a rhino will grow about 8 cm per year. Dehorning is a time consuming and costly task for a reserve and involves needing a helicopter, a vet, and supporters to dart the animal to knock it out and then chainsaw the horn just above the cuticle and quick.
It is controversial but effective as the “value” to the poacher has been removed.
I have been told both that there are social changes in the animals and conversely that they behave no differently then before they were dehorned. I am sure a behavioralist has written their PhD thesis on the topic. Anecdotally, I have been told that when males fight for dominance the battles last significantly longer, the animals sustain more impact and injuries as there is no longer a visual hierarchy and their weapon has been removed so they rely upon repeated impacts to establish dominance.
For the white rhino females, prior to dehorning mothers would direct and guide their calves with their horn. (The white rhino calves run in front of their mothers if retreating from danger). How this has changed is in potentially dangerous situations rather than being guided, the calves run and the mother follows the calf, not benefiting from the mother’s experience or learning from the mother.
So you naturally ask - what happens to this “valuable” resource that poachers kill for once it is legally trimmed by a reserve to prevent the rhinoceros from being killed? Currently, it’s all cataloged and stored in vaults at undisclosed locations. Many in antipoaching feel it is time to legalize the rhino horn trade. A controversial topic for another post.

Yesterday I met these two amazing conservationists. The young man in the foreground is the student Charles Merrill has decided to sponsor the final year of his education. He is currently volunteering in Kruger National Park as the assistant to the head rhino veterinarian (the other gentleman). He has one more year of studies but didn’t have the funding to continue.
Everyone I met had only praise for this young man. Education is how rhino will ultimately be saved.

Thank you Anke de Rosner for introducing us to these two and for your personal APU work.

If you are compelled by his story - he has educational debt that could be eased through a donation. I will make sure the funding is directed to him.

Lots of hooves and horns today and this magnificent tree.

The new AmazuluK9 APU truck is already being put to good use. Thank you ProjectThorn donors. The canines now have a safe and reliable vehicle to patrol and respond to call outs with.

To all of the ProjectThorn donors, this is the land the canines you have supported patrol. They protect all of the lands - as far as you can see in each direction photographed (And this not all of the land they help to protect - there is another entire reserve they also patrol).
Honestly, It is a bit awe inspiring and overwhelming to think that the canines you helped to buy 2 years ago have kept this land safe for rhinos for the 16 months they have been here.
I am beyond grateful to you all and to the dedicated rangers at AmazuluK9.

Traffic South African style. Preferable to the eclipse traffic everyone has been posting.

I have been asked if I have seen rhino and why if I have, haven’t I posted any photos. Well, sadly the answer is that for the safety of the rhinos and those that protect them you can’t post photos that may help poachers locate rhinos. It is easy to piece together where someone is by the geography of the land, metadata, other things you’ve shared, etc.
It really is that dire that poachers troll social media to locate animals.

The photos I do post of rhino were all taken a minimum of 3 years ago with all location data removed.

A few photos from the morning drive.

Back in my Happy Place.

I owe many people thank yous - I haven’t forgotten. It’s been a little hectic because of my knee and now I want to be present in the bush and not on my phone (despite knowing I have things to take care of).

Being lazy but being present. Thank you all for your generosity.

Today’s ProjectThorn Thank You goes out to Scout and Sadie for their support of their cousins working in the Bush protecting African Wildlife. And thank to their human, Katherine Merrill Alvarez

In contrast to the chaos the other day trying to get an MRI at the Paarl hospital, today’s experience was incredible.

I saw the orthopedic doctor for SAS Rugby and the Springboks. The exam revealed that my LCL is intact but my ACL is completely gone. Xrays confirmed that I do not have any fractures or bone chips.

I may have been his only patient to ever be happy with the news of a torn ACL but just having one ligament gone is better than what the field medics diagnosed.

Much gratitude to Bruce Darné and the team at EPT Recovery for setting me up with the right care.

Today we want to thank our trail running friends Caleb and His mountain biking friend Paulette Trinh for their ProjectThorn donation.
Canines are awesome.

Awesome update today - we received an anonymous donation for $1000.
So a big thank you to whoever made the donation. We have reached our base goal of 15k. Another 2k will pay for all the modifications needed to keep the canines safe during transport.

So if you were considering a contribution please still do.

There is still the chance to be selected as the winner of a ProjectThorn jersey, or solar shirt, or the book Called by the Wild by Conraad de Rosner.

Thank you Susan Belau! I truly appreciate your support of our conservation effort.

I had 3 goals for my Cape Epic ride. The first was to finish. The second was to not get injured. The third was to buy a truck for the AmazuluK9 canine anti-poaching.
I still have a shot at 1 of the 3 goals.
I may still be able to buy a truck.

Unfortunately, I took a really hard tumble into a rock. Looks as if I definitely tore my LCL and likely my ACL. I will have an MRI tomorrow. I managed to finish the stage but starting today wasn’t an option.

A bit heartbroken.

Today’s ProjectThorn Thank you goes to Lee Smith.
We are grateful for your support!

A couple photos from the Epic Prologue.

Thank you The Caledonian-Record

Local Cyclist To Compete In The Cape Epic In South Africa After taking the 20th spot in her age group last October at the UCI Gravel World Championships in Italy, Karrie Hovey is back in the Northeast Kingdom finishing off preparations

Registration!

Today’s ProjectThorn thank you goes out to our first South African donor and the founder of 12 Hours, Bruce Darné
Your dedication to protecting South Africa’s rhinos is beyond admirable. Thank you.
(I met this 18 hours old baby rhino because of you - life changing)

So let’s get the fundraising going. We have 2 days before the Epic starts.

As an incentive, I will randomly select a Give-a-Truck donor and I will buy you your choice of a ProjectThorn jersey, mtb shirt, solar shirt, or a copy of “Called by the Wild” by Conraad Geza de Rosner (one of the canine trainers - it is a page turner).

And Yes - that is Nino. (He has 10 World Cup titles but has yet to win the Epic). We bumped into him today after pre-riding the course.

(Btw-You have fairly good odds if you have already donated - there are only about 50 donors thus far).