Rhinos & Racehorses?
Proving for once and for all that OTTBs can, in fact, do ANYTHING, ex-racers are being enlisted to help purge South Africa of rhino poachers.
Top: Wikimedia Commons
According to a story aired earlier this year on ABC News, “The horses are being used in riding patrols to track poachers, as fears grow that South African rhinos are on the brink of a catastrophic population decline.” (Watch the segment here.)
The Rhino Revolution is a community initiative launched in 2011 with the mission statement of saving the rhino species in South Africa and educating the world at large as to the useless use of rhino horn in medicine. The use of horses was introduced soon after by racehorse trainer Lisa Harris, who brought ex-racers in from Zimbabwe for rangers to ride on their patrols.
“I saw a gap in the market here and thought we could introduce ex-racehorses that… some of them don’t have other uses, for an anti-poaching campaign and it seems to be working,” Harris told ABC.
Many thanks to reader Shelby Allen for the tip. Go OTTBs!
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