With World Rhino Day (22 September) fast approaching, and almost exactly two years after taking up the fight against rhino poaching, Jacaranda FM has launched its most exciting anti-poaching project to date. The Purple Rhino project sees Jacaranda FM, consistently rated at regional and national government level as one of the top three most credible anti-poaching organisations to support, taking the next step in the struggle.

Jacaranda FM has led ground-breaking initiatives in this arena including sending rangers on specialised training, providing equipment, arranging vehicle usage for the teams on the front line, and more recently, trained and deployed tracker dogs to work with the anti-poaching units in rhino reserves. The station keeps its listeners informed via the weekly Rhino Files, and hosts rhino experts on air.  Since the start of the project, Jacaranda FM has channelled over R 2 million worth of support into strengthening the protection for rhinos in national and regional reserves. Focussed is placed on protecting large herds, so that support is channelled where maximum impact can be made.

Donations made to this project will help Jacaranda FM to broaden and intensify its efforts in ranger training, tracker dog training and the equipping of all those on the front lines. The station will also issue Purple Rhino logos to companies who support and contribute to this project – encouraging widespread corporate support for the project.

“This project will be even more streamlined and focused than before,” says Jenny Griesel, Jacaranda FM’s Marketing Manager, “Poachers and poaching syndicates operate with near military precision. If we are to win the fight against poaching, and ensure that the Big 5 stays that way for future generations, it is our shared responsibility to have people, training, systems and procedures in place that can outclass poachers at any level.”