Comments

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  Corne Schalkwyk February 23, 2012 at 8:29am

  Thanks Barbara and Tolene

  Tolene the Van der Merwe sounds very Afrikaans.  You’re not a ex pat by chance? We had a very successful fund raising event last, largely due to the support of the Safari Industry role players. We can’t thank them enough for opening their hearts and pockets to fund ongoing projects to save Rhinos.

  Wilderness also contributed a large sum of money in conjunction with EcoTraining to support the ear notching project in the northern part of Kruger as well as the DNA project. Hopefully the DNA samples will help Identify poachers at the point of sale (it’s difficult to link the killing to the buyers at this stage, but we are getting there)

  Glad to hear that so many people are doing good things to help.

   
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  Barbara Silkstone February 22, 2012 at 4:31pm

  This is so amazing to see. Someday I hope to visit in person. Lovely!
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  Corne Schalkwyk February 22, 2012 at 3:54pm

  Rhino conservation and tourism meet:

  EcoTraining will be offering its first Rhino conservation course in April of 2012. In 2011 EcoTraining included a section on Rhino conservation as part of its conservation and research course. But this year have decided to dedicate a separate course to Rhino Conservation.

  

  Rhino conservation isn’t only very topical at the moment but people want to be informed and they need to have a deeper understanding of Rhino to start making a change.

  The aim of the course is twofold. First, to provide an in-depth education suitable for rangers, tourists, and academics on the two African rhinos and the conservation thereof. Second, to establish and teach non-invasive methods for monitoring rhino populations.

  The main method of instruction would be hands on participation in a rhino monitoring project. This would be supplemented by lectures. The goal of the monitoring project would be to establish identikits for all rhinos within a given research area. This would be accomplished by a variety of methods depending on the area, including:

  • camera traps, tracking/trailing, and plaster casts of tracks would be used to identify individual rhinos by their tracks.
  • Trailing on foot or by vehicle when possible to get photos of rhinos for identification purposes.
  • Trailing on foot to establish rhino movement patterns, habitat selection, water sources, and territories.
  • Observing on foot or by vehicle to study behaviour and habitat/food selection.
  • Dung analysis to study food selection.

  Topics to be covered during the course would include:

  1. rhinos of the world
  2. rhino biology
  3. evolution of Rhinocerotidae and subtaxa
  4. rhino behaviour (black and white rhinos)
  5. poaching and anti-poaching
  6. conservation issues
  7. conservation research and research methods
  8. tracking and trailing
  9. rhino habitats & ecosystems

   

  Rhinos would have a heavy emphasis, but other aspects of savannah ecosystems would also be explored.

  On the first two activities, camera traps would be strategically deployed. Each day, thereafter, the group would go out in search of rhino tracks and/or rhinos. Each member of the group would have a specific duty, and the following duties would be rotated throughout the course.

  • tracking/trailing (2 people)
  • note taking
  • GPS/mapping
  • track casting and sample collecting
  • video
  • photographer
  • observers or additional photographers

   

  Course Dates in Kruger National park  (Makuleke Concession) 1 -7 April at R5700 per person (accommodation and meals included)

  

  Media can contact Corne at marketing@ecotraining.co.za for more information
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  i-Terabytes Tours February 21, 2012 at 2:30am

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  John Lamkin February 14, 2012 at 4:58am

  Thanks Julie!
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  Julie February 13, 2012 at 8:03pm

  Hi John, we worked with a resort in Belize a year ago. At that time, the PR agency for the Belize Tourism Board was BVK. The contact was Patty Tazalla in the Milwaukee office.
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  John Lamkin February 12, 2012 at 3:40am

  Does anyone handle PR or have PR contacts for Belize?  Thanks!  John
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  Northeast News February 4, 2012 at 3:05pm

  The kidnapped tourists in Egypt have been released, yet I wonder: With all this unrest, how can Egypt's tourism recover? That is, how can good marketing change the current feeling that people don't feel Egypt is safe?
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  Sabin Basnet January 22, 2012 at 8:30am

  On the month of Valentine's to all the people through out the world....
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  Stefanie Payne January 19, 2012 at 7:43pm

  Putting experiential travel and tour companies on the CityRoom 'Destinations' Map - for inspired travelers to see (and book!)

  Feel free to PM me for details and today's discount for my pal's on Tripatini!

  Stefanie

  http://www.cityroommaps.com/tours/DailyTravelDestination-tours.php