Cape Town based children’s author, Linda “Lulu” Fellowes has penned a delightful children’s book to help raise awareness about the rhino poaching crisis in South Africa. She has donated 200 books to the Wilderness Foundation which will receive the proceeds from each book sold. The book is entitled iThemba, which is the Xhosa word for hope.
“I wanted to do something that would bring the message of rhino poaching to a younger audience,” says Fellowes.
The 23 page, beautifully illustrated book revolves around two-ton heroine, iThemba, and her game-ranger friend Joe, who embark on a mission to save her skin (and her horn) when poachers come calling.
“Kids will love how iThemba and Joe foiled the wicked horn hunters in an exciting tale which is loosely based on the real-life arrest of poachers in the Kruger Park,” says Fellowes.
Proceeds from the 200 donated books sold at R100 each will go towards the Wilderness Foundation’s Forever Wild Rhino Protection Initiative.
The campaign was launched in May 2011 and aims to gather support from the public and various stakeholders to help fight against rhino poaching in South Africa and save the rhino from extinction.
“It is only through a global campaign and political will that we can save this remnant of the dinosaur age – the rhino,” says founder of the Wilderness Foundation, environmentalist and conservationist, Dr Ian Player.
The Wilderness Foundation’s Forever Wild campaign aims to maintain populations of free ranging rhino within state and privately managed conservation areas by helping conservation agencies and organized private game reserves protect their rhino populations as part of functioning natural ecosystems.
The campaign also aspires to focus the attention of politicians and decision makers to encourage them to apply pressure both nationally and abroad to address the issue of illegal trade in rhino horn and other wildlife products.
“We are extremely grateful for the support of the public, and people like Linda Fellowes who donated her time and creativity to helping to raise awareness of this global crisis,” says Wilderness Foundation director, Andrew Muir. “Without the support and outcry from the public, South Africa will no longer be known internationally as the country that successfully hosted the 2010 Soccer World Cup, but the country that allowed its rhinos to become extinct.”
The book can be purchased directly from the Wilderness Foundation: 11 Newington Street, Richmond Hill, Port Elizabeth. For orders, please call Christine: 041 373 0293. The cost of the book is R100 which does not include postage if books are ordered from outside Port Elizabeth.
