Royalston Estate and Private Game Reserve will dedicate their grand opening weekend to raising funds for Stop Rhino Poaching. According to the lates figures from the Department of Environmental Affairs, a total of 363 rhinos have been poached and killed this year alone. This is more than the accumulative 325 poaching incidents from 2000 to 2009.
The grand opening weekend, which will take place on the 7th and 8th of June 2013, will comprise of a Black Tie Rhino Fundraiser on the Friday and a ‘Run for Rhinos’ trail run on the Royalston Estate on the Saturday.
The Royalston development is located on the southern boundary of Kragga Kamma Road and Lakeside Road, east of Colleen Glen, extending south towards the ocean. The property, measuring close to 1000 Ha in size, is characterised by pristine coastal vegetation consisting of ancient Milkwoods, Yellowwoods and the like, with open grasslands stretching over rolling hills and freshwater streams feeding the largest lake in Port Elizabeth, which is also found on the property. It is a space worth preserving for future communities where like minded people share their care and appreciation of the environment by creating tranquil and sustainable living spaces.
The fundraiser will take place at the estate’s popular function venue, Lake de La Vie, where guests will enjoy an evening hosted by Carol Ann Kelleher and Gino Fabbri. The evening will be filled with live entertainment from the NMMU Choir, the New Afro Teens, Aston and Charlie and winner of South African Idols Season five, Jason Hartman, who is currently on his ‘Rock ‘n Ride for Rhinos’ tour around the country. There will be a ‘Call to Action – The Rhino Saga’ presentation by the head of the Green Scorpions, Div de Villiers. The main event of the evening is the Grand Auction, where guests can bid for items and all proceeds go to an organisation called ‘Stop Rhino Poaching.’ Some big items are up for auction, including a 1423m² plot on the Royalston Exclusive Residential Estate worth R877 344.
The Run for Rhinos taking place on the Saturday morning will comprise of two trail runs – a 15km trail run and a 5km family/fun trail run. The trails will take the runners and walkers through the beautiful Royalston estate and game reserve. The Reserve carries a diverse array of fauna and flora, boasting many critically endangered species, the Honey Badger, Knysna Woodpecker, Secretary Bird, Blue Duiker, Fish Eagle, Cape Eagle Owl, Milkwood, Yellowood to name but a few. Large game include herds of Zebra, Giraffe, Wildebeest, Impala, Waterbuck, Lechwe, Reebuck, Springbuck, Bushpig, Aaardvark, Eland, Bushbuck, Nyala and the Sable Antelope – Royalston’s ambassador and emblem inspiration. All proceeds raised go to the organisation called ‘Stop Rhino Poaching’.
Stop Rhino Poaching launched in July 2010 as an independent web-based platform, dedicated to raising awareness and support for the war against rhino poaching. Although independent, Stop Rhino Poaching enjoys a close working relationship with many recognised role players, their opinion and experience proving invaluable when establishing projects and allocating funds.
Rhinoceros are brutally killed for their horns, which are bought and sold on the black market, and which are used by some cultures for ornamental or traditional medicinal purposes. The horns are made of keratin, the same type of protein that makes up hair and fingernails. One repeated misconception is that rhinoceros horn in powdered form is used as an aphrodisiac in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as Cornu Rhinoceri Asiatici. In fact, it is prescribed for fevers and convulsions. Neither have been proven by evidence-based medicine. The horn is incredibly valuable: an average sized horn can bring in as much as a quarter of a million dollars in Vietnam and many rhino range states have stockpiles of rhino horn.
The Green Scorpions are a group of members from the SA Hunters and Game conservation association who have volunteered their services as Honorary Game conservation officers to ensure the safety of the Rhino population in the Eastern Cape by patrolling the borders of our game reserves locally. The unit was started in December 2010 and to date has done over 700hrs of patrolling with some volunteers travelling over 200km’s to report for a patrol.
Tables of 10 can be bought by corporates for the fundraiser for R5000. Individual seats can be bought for R600 each. Contact Tamlyn on 072 389 5728.
