South African pilots are joining forces in the battle to protect the country’s iconic rhinos against the ruthless market for illegal rhino horn.
The news of rhinos being slaughtered for their horns in South Africa has become almost a daily horror. Funded by demand for illegal rhino horn from wealthy China and emerging Vietnam, organized crime syndicates are plundering and profiting, killing and cashing in – all because of the misguided myth that rhino horn contains medicinal properties.
Infiltrating South Africa’s conservation community in order to re-engineer the rhino-killing business – using veterinary drugs and professional game capturing methods – these criminal operatives are now able to regularly deploy aircraft and helicopters to track down their helpless targets.
However, one South African man has had enough of the bloodshed.
Meet Hendrik Brink, a self-described “normal man” who has managed to organize an ambitious group of South African pilots on behalf of the country’s precious pachyderms.
The newly-formed organization is called Pilots Against Rhino Poaching, or “PARP” for short. PARP plans to provide enhanced monitoring of rhinos with a system of regular flights across South Africa’s trouble spots.
Hendrik Brink of Pilots Against Rhino Poaching (PARP) interviewed by Rhishja Larson
When did you start PARP and what was the catalyst? Was there one particular incident that made you say “I’m doing something about this myself” ?
I was at the driving range one day when I heard another report on the radio. I just thought “Well, I’ve got the skills and the time, why don’t I do something about it?”
I phoned my boss and asked what he thought about the idea. He agreed that I could have his aircraft for only fuel cost. I then started contacting various websites and conservation groups to advertise my services, took me a while but eventually I started talking to the right people.
A month later they phoned me for an incident, but the aircraft had a technical problem! So I put an advert on an aviation website for help, and the pilots overwhelmed me! In one week we grew from one aircraft to 50!
What made you decide on mobilizing pilots yourself instead of raising money for a project or organization already in existence?
I was convinced that I wanted to have a hand in this myself, rather than just making donations, I have a burning desire to make sure something get done!
How many aircraft are in the fleet so far? Who is on the team besides pilots?
We have over 50 aircraft and 7 helicopters available. Various pilots ranging from private pilots to airline pilots and lots of ground crew to help with planning. Aircraft are situated in all the major poaching areas.
How is PARP organized, and is it all volunteers?
PARP is a non-profit organization, pilots fly for free and in the future will only get assistance for fuel costs . We are all volunteers. I am at the moment the sole organizer of the group, but more assistance is coming on board.
What geographical area will be your top priority?
Geographical areas will change all the time as poaching activities escalate, but with the amount of aircraft involved, many areas are able to be covered at the same time.
Does PARP work with law enforcement and/or intelligence operations on the ground?
PARP movement is done in coordination with intelligence sources, but we are NOT involved with law enforcement. We are simply an observation platform for better coordination of ground forces. No flights into areas take place without coordination with forces on the ground. The ground crew that we have is used for planning, not for logistics.
How can people get involved? What can people do to help?
At the moment people can log on to the Facebook® page Pilots to Help with Anti Rhino Poaching or send email to antirhinopoaching (at) gmail.com. Our website (www.parp.co.za) will be operational within the next week or two.
What do you want people to know about PARP? About you?
PARP pilots all share the same sentiment. We refuse to accept the current situation with rhino poaching and will not rest until the tide with rhino poaching has been radically turned into the favor of our beautiful rhinos.
We are not just a bunch of pilots flying over an area hoping to find something, but a group of individuals that are creating a highly organized system with the aid of highly experienced individuals from various backgrounds in the anti-poaching scene.
As for me, I am just a normal man that just got fed up with the way things are. It is not enough just sitting on the sidelines anymore. Each rhino that I save through this project would mean more than the world to me.
Learn more about PARP
Visit the Pilots Against Rhino Poaching page on Facebook®.
Source: Hendrik Brink, Pilots Against Rhino Poaching (PARP), South Africa
Photos courtesy of Hendrik Brink
![Rhino Horns and Trophies Exported to Asia from South Africa 2000 – 2010 [Infographic]](http://www.rhinoconservation.org/wp-content/plugins/special-recent-posts/lib/phpimage.php?width=100&height=100&rotation=no&file=L2hvbWUyL2Jpb2RpdmUxL3B1YmxpY19odG1sL3dwLWNvbnRlbnQvdXBsb2Fkcy8yMDEyLzA1L1JoaW5vVHJvcGhpZXNIb3Juc0luZm9ncmFwaGljVGh1bWJuYWlsLmpwZw==)
It is people like you that give someone like me faith in humakind again.
With all my respect and admiration,
Marcia Le Roux
This is fantastic that one man can start something like this. I really hope that he will recieve some recognition for himself and the rest of the pilots as well. Some one should be looking into supplying of fuel for them as they are giving themselves free for this.
What an awesome effort. Well done!