Youth taking the fight against rhino poaching to Vietnam
Five young South Africans are heading to Vietnam next month as part of efforts to protect the endangered rhino.
They will be be armed with the World Youth Wildlife Declaration which will be signed by government representatives there as a pledge of their support for the fight against rhino poaching.
The declaration was adopted at the World Youth Rhino Summit held in KZN and aims to build a global youth movement against rhino poaching and wildlife crime.
It is the first time the country's youth has been invited to visit Vietnam which, together with China, is regarded as the epicentre of rhino horn demand due a belief there that it has medicinal benefits.
KZN Project Rhino's Sheelagh Antrobus says the trip is significant.
"For five young South Africans who are speaking out against the decimation of one of our iconic wildlife species, to be invited to go to the epicentre of the problem and speak directly to the consumers over there and to government officials and show them that as a South African youth generation they're not tolerant of this loss of something that they see very important as part of their heritage and their culture," she said.
Meanwhile, two suspected rhino poachers will appear in the Polokwane Magistrate's court in Limpopo tomorrow, a day on which World Rhino Day will be marked.
The pair were arrested last night. Police had received a tip-off that the two were on their way to poach the animals. They were found in possession of a hunting rifle and an axe.