Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Kruger National Park Staff Arrested

Well, it seems that some of the poaching at Kruger may have been an inside job,which actually gives me some faith that we can stop this craziness before it is too late. South Africa has the largest population of rhinos at the moment, and that is why it is under the greatest threat and needs the most help.
Read the article here and please donate what you can today!

Monday, February 27, 2012

Quackery and Rhino Horns

This is a humorous and interesting link to a site also dedicated to this cause. Click here to read all about how rhino horn is just that, a rhino's horn. Nothing more, nothing less.

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Poison,eh?

"Human brutes, like other beasts, find snares and poison in the provision of life, and are allured by their appetites to their destruction".-Jonathan Swift

I ran another twenty miles yesterday before working a full day and then going to a pre-Oscar party. I am beat but also encouraged by an email I received from Lorinda Hern, daughter of Ed Hern, who is at the forefront of this battle. She and her organization were recently in the news because her unorthodox method of trying to protect the remaining rhinos from poachers backfired, and one of the rhinos, Spencer, died.  He was twenty years old, and they think he had an adverse reaction to the anesthetic. He was from The Hern's reserve, which also houses many of the orphans from this terrible war. You can watch the link about them here. It is sad and fascinating and enraging all at once.
While their methods are controversial, it may be the only way to get the attention of the people who erroneously use rhino horn as a cure all. Once we eliminate the need, we eliminate the threat. The fact that the poachers are like a small militia-with helicopters, night vision gear and weapons-means that we as a global nation have to step up our support and work together. Please donate! And thank you to those who already have.....

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Closer to Home

This is a picture of the men who are working tirelessly to raise funds for the protection of the rhinoceroses under their watch. They had a bike-a-thon in August 2011and raised 20,000 rand. They bought a few items-bullet proof vests and some night vision equipment, but there is still a tremendous need for supplies.

As far as the training goes, I ran twenty miles last weekend, and I felt like I could have run more. The marathon is less than a month away, and I feel ready. My resolve is bolstered by the story in today's LA Times: a raid on a smuggling ring much closer to home than I'd ever imagined. Less than twenty miles away from where we live, people were profiting from the illegal poaching of South African rhinoceros horns. It sums up the whole issue really well, so I encourage you to read it.Just click here or go to Pages heading and click on Justice in California to read all about it! Go U.S. Fish and Wildlife Inspectors! This is truly a global effort.....
Don't forget to donate!
Matt Luber

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

The Awful Truth


 54 rhinos have been poached in South Africa so far this year. That is in the first 44 days of 2012, which means that this is shaping up to be a terrible year for the rhinos in South Africa. If the slaughter continues at this pace, the estimate is that 450 rhinos will be shot, killed and have their horns hacked off and sent to South East Asia to be ground up and used for it's perceived "medicinal properties" . It is not actually being used as an aphrodisiac, as previously thought, but is used in Traditional Chinese medicine to  treat fever and high blood pressure, amongst other things. 

To these respected doctors I say, Ibuprofen and yoga/lifestyle change/diet modification PLEASE instead of the needless killing of these soon to be extinct animals.

I will be running the Los Angeles Marathon on March 18th, 2012. I am raising as much money as I can in the next month and will be giving 100% of what you give to the people who are on the ground fighting this war against poaching.
Please read the most current updates and donate what you can.Every dollar will go toward equipment upgrades, bullet proof vests, night vision goggles-whatever the teams on the ground so desperately need.


Please take the time to look at the most recent news regarding this volatile and dire situation by clicking on the links just below the Pages heading.
Thanks for reading!
Regards,


Matt Luber