Rhino Poaching 2014

[wynand]

Hey, thanks H.e. Nan, Duke, Flutterby, mouseinthehouse, Bushcraft, RP, RobertT, Okie.

Be assured that we'll keep it up as long as we're up to it (the GRU AirWing, or GRUWing for short).
Pilots: Jaco, Duncan, Koos, Maritza, Mark, Bruce, Wynand.
Len and Les of Jabiru SA with help from Jabiru Oz donated a brand new aircraft, fully kitted for counter insurgency ops. And the're sending parts for line maintenance.
Dynamic Insurance Brokers in George is paying the premiums.
SANTAM is giving them discount.
Dennis Jankelow & Associates is giving the pilots a discount on their excess insurance even though it is "game work".
SA Flyer Magazine, Cirrus Aircraft, Lancet laboratories and Hansia Aerospace are the businesses that keep us stocked with fuel.
Francois Gouws, Gary Ressel, Paul Luff, Rob Kennedy, Gert Swanepoel and Roel Stausebach are individuals who have opened their wallets most generously to service that same fuel and oil account.

And we don't seek .gov recognition, but it would be nice if the reserves we serve can all have radios and other field kit.

[Richprins]

I was just thinking, wynand...don't know if one should post pics of the antipoaching crews? In general we don't post pics of people without their permission, unless they are offenders?

But thanks for the chat today, and your judgement re the pics...

[Duke]

Len and Les of Jabiru SA with help from Jabiru Oz donated a brand new aircraft, fully kitted for counter insurgency ops. And the're sending parts for line maintenance.

Jabiru Aircraft

[wynand]

I was just thinking, wynand...don't know if one should post pics of the antipoaching crews?

Thanks RP. These pics were posed for and the subjects are aware that they're being seen. The pics have already appeared in SA Flyer Magazine. There are clandestine operators too, and their pics aren't shown.

Here's a threesome you don't want on your spoor. If you run, we spot you from the air. If you hide, Ruger sniffs you out.

[wynand]

The reason I'm posting these pics is to offer forum members some images to reconcile with their impressions of what's going on in the Lowveld.

The message that I'm trying to convey is that the terrible increase in rhino deaths is not so much a result of slackness, corruption and incompetence as it is the effect of an exponential increase in poaching effort.

A counter-insurgency campaign has always been a costly affair. The insurgents operate cheaply, striking at vulnerable targets, then retreating to safety. The defenders have to be deployed 24/7 on a wide front and have to react to incidents behind their own lines. A few bands of poachers can keep an army of thousands occupied.

[Flutterby]

Really great info coming from you Wynand. I like Ruger ! (I presume that's the dog!)

[nan]

I like Ruger too
Duke, I can't open the link

[Richprins]

Thanks again wynand!

Wow! Jacques Kallis and his dog!

Link works for me, nana?

[nan]

Link works for me, nana?

still nothing
I think I have a problem with Facebook

[Mel]

Ja, must be on your side, nan. The link works for me as well.