Rafting for Rhinos returns on 24th of September to the upper Nile

AS CITES COP2017 OPENS ARE UGANDANS RAFTING FOR RHINOS AGAIN

(Posted 15th September 2016)

On Saturday September 24th, 2016 people throughout the world will march for elephants and rhinos while in Jinja the conservation fraternity will be RAFTING instead of MARCHING!!

Nile River Explorers (NRE) is once again dedicating a day to conservation with the intent of selling EVERY SEAT on EVERY BOAT and giving all the proceeds of the day to the Uganda Conservation Foundation & Rhino Fund Uganda. Why are they doing it? Simply because they can!

Why Saturday September 24th, 2016?

This year’s march is timed to take place on the opening day of CITES CoP17. CITES is a global treaty enacted in the 1970s, CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) aims to ensure the survival of endangered species threatened by international trade.

CITES decisions determine the rules governing the wildlife trade and have an enormous impact on endangered species. CoP17 (the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties) is the world’s largest and most influential meeting on international wildlife trade. It will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 24th September to 5th October 2016 and conservationists around the world are mobilizing a massive global presence to pressure delegates to vote with a conscience and DEMAND Appendix 1, NO TRADE.

In recent years the poaching of elephants and rhinos in Africa has reached unprecedented heights as the demand for ivory and rhino horn has soared in China and other mainly Asian markets. Whilst poaching is of concern in Uganda, the efforts of the UWA and partner conservation organisations have succeeded in sustaining a slow but steady growth in its elephant population. Uganda’s elephant numbers have increased by 600% since their lowest point in the mid-1990s, and Uganda is the only country in Africa which can claim zero poaching of rhino since their reintroduction in 2006.

We also know that in order not only to maintain the levels of growth that have already been achieved, but improve them, that a lot of work still needs to be done and of course it all costs money. That is why Nile River Explorers (NRE) isonce again dedicating this day to conservation. NRE want to sell EVERY SEAT on EVERY BOAT and give all the proceeds of the day to the Uganda Conservation Foundation & Rhino Fund Uganda. UCF and RFU would like you standing with them on the day.

Conservationists in Uganda want to use the Global March / Raft for Elephants and Rhinos – Jinja to tell the world about these achievements and celebrate the country’s successes as being at the forefront of conservation in Africa. This will be a united gathering of the UWA, conservation organisations, the tourism sector, corporate companies & general public showing support for Uganda’s wildlife.

The event has its own facebook page and will be highlighted on a global website March 4 Elephants & Rhinos. The organizers will also be approaching individuals and companies to join them on the day, and will be looking for corporates to sponsor rangers from both the UWA and Rhino Fund to participate in the rafting so they may paddle alongside their supporters. Finally, the event includes a symbolic handing over of a Memorandum appealing for more stringent legislation to combat and deter wildlife crime. We expect the UWA to be on hand to receive this Memorandum on behalf of the Government of Uganda, and hope that it will add support to their commendable campaign to review these areas of the Wildlife Act.

THE DAY’S RAFTING INCLUDES:

BUY A SEAT ON A BOAT @$125 pp
BUY A WHOLE BOAT @$750 max 7 people
SPONSOR A UWA OR RFU RANGER to raft with us @$125

Jon Dahl, the CEO of Nile River Explorers, has through this publication appealed to Ugandans and residents to come out in large numbers to Jinja and support the conservation efforts if not by participating at least by their presence.