UGANDAN REBEL ARMY PLEDGES TO SAVE HIGHLY ENDANGERED RHINOS

Lawrence Anthony, founder of The Earth Organization, has been in negotiations with the LRA leadership for two days to secure the safety of the endangered species. The rebels who are currently occupying Garamba national park in north-eastern DR Congo have issued a formal statement pledging to protect the only estimated four Rhinos of their sub-species remaining in the world.

“These are the most highly endangered large mammals on earth and if we lose them they will be the largest mammal since the mammoth to go extinct,” said Anthony who led the negotiations at the LRA base camp outside of the Sudanese provincial capital of Juba.

“Desperate times call for desperate measures. The LRA, with many highly armed mobile combatants have already killed 12 game rangers and eight Guatemalan UN troops in the park and the future of these only remaining rhinos lies in their hands at the moment,” added Anthony. For this reason the rangers have been limited in their ability to protect the Rhino from the poachers.

On August18, Anthony travelled from Zululand, South Africa, to Juba, south Sudan and made contact with rebels. “After two days of negotiations with the LRA leadership, we are pleased to announce that the LRA leader Joseph Kony has issued a written assurance that; the rebels would act as curators for all endangered species in the park including not only the Northern White Rhinos, but also the Congo Giraffe of which it is estimated there were only 40 remaining and the Okapi,” Anthony said.

The LRA statement, issued and signed by the chairman of delegation to the Juba peace talks, on the authority of Kony states; “We wish to assure the Game rangers in Garamba Park that provided they properly identify themselves and not attack us, we undertake to fully cooperate with them." “This statement regarding game rangers and conservationists is an extension of our unilateral declaration cessation of hostilities,” it adds.

"The involvement of a conservation organisation in a regional conflict resolution process is a historical precedent." said Anthony, who made a call for conservation and environmental organizations to be represented at all future talks and discussions which involve combatants anywhere. The environment and plant and animal kingdoms also suffer terribly as a result of human conflict and cannot continue to be marginalised and left without representation." added Anthony.

“The Northern White Rhino Project is a chance for man to become intricately involved in ensuring the survival of a major species of Earth”, said Anthony. “Mankind and the plant and animal kingdoms are utterly dependent, each upon the other, for their own survival. None Survive Alone. To allow the rampant destruction of Earth’s life forms in conflict situations, and the possible demise of an entire sub species, is unacceptable and must be halted. The Earth Organization will use this opportunity to demonstrate what can be done if humans only put their mind to it. Mankind must come to an understanding of their role in the chain of life on this planet.”

Background

The Northern White Rhino (Ceratotherium simum cottoni) is the most endangered large mammal on Earth. Previously inhabiting large portions of central Africa, today they have been reduced to a few individuals in the wild, all situated in Garamba National Park. Attempts to protect the Rhino from military insurgents and poaching have had minimal success with the numbers dropping from more than 30 in 2004 to an estimated 4 Rhinos today.
“In 2005 we approached international group BHP Billiton with this project of saving these Rhinos from extinction, and without hesitation they agreed to back it”, said Earth Organization Executive Director Jason Anthony. “We got further support from our partner, John Wise. There really was a lot of interest in protecting these animals, and for that we have been very grateful”
Anthony continued: “We have been working to support the Congolese Institute of Nature Conservation (ICCN), African Parks Foundation and the IUCN in protecting the park, but with the LRA occupying Garamba these groups were facing a lot of difficulties. We decided that we needed to independently get into contact with the LRA leaders. Their cooperation in the protection of these animals was crucial and, thankfully, we now have an agreement”.

Who is Lawrence Anthony?

Lawrence Anthony, age 55, the founder of The Earth Organization, [www.earthorganization.org] an international conservation and environmental society with a strong scientific orientation.
Anthony is a well known conservationist, environmentalist, and African Elephant expert, perhaps best known for his courageous rescue of the Baghdad Zoo during the US invasion of Iraq in April 2003, for which he received the Earth day medal at the United Nations in 2004.

Anthony is the long-standing head of conservation at the Thula Thula Game Reserve in Zululand South Africa www.thulathula.com.

He is recipient of other awards and recognitions including the Global Nature Fund international award. He is an international member of the prestigious Explorers Club of New York.

For more information please Contact;
The Executive Director of The Earth Organisation
Jason Anthony
earthorg@earthorganization.org


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