Rhino Rouge for the Aberdares
| 07 July 2007
The Aberdare Conservation Area and National Park, is a globally important forest ecosystem of some 2000 square kilometers of lush indigenous mountain forest. The waters that flow from these forests are critical to the survival of over several million people. The ecosystem also protects an exceptional diversity of plants birds and wildlife including some extremely rare and valuable species such as the mountain bongo and the black rhinoceros.
Rhino Ark, a charitable trust, working in partnership with the Kenya Wildlife Service set out in 1988 to build a 400 km of fence along its boundary. With the fence construction completed in 2009, Rhino Ark is now raising funds to invest in a management trust, which maintains this important fence and also provides critical support to the National Park and brings lasting benefits to the communities living adjacent to the Aberdares.
Rhino Ark raises most of its financial support through a unique and extremely unusual event , The Rhino Charge. Held at a different location each year, in a remote corner of Kenya. Teams must cross an extremely rugged and hostile landscape in the shortest distance and time. This often involves extraordinary skill and stamina on the part of the competitors and the toughest legs attract considerable spectator interest.
Rhino Rouge and the bright red Car number 17, of Tanya Carr-Hartley, is an all women team and has competed in the Rhino Charge for the past seven years. It is always well placed and has won the Ladies event four times. More importantly we raise significant funds each year for Rhino Ark, more than US$190,000 to date.
Rhino Rouge strongly supports the efforts of Rhino Ark to conserve the Aberdare ecosystem through the building and maintenance of this extraordinary fence. Without this electrified boundary this important resource would be lost to future generations. The Rhino Charge event is a challenge to any vehicle. It requires team work, stamina and calculation. We ladies believe in a level playing field and compete in good spirit against gentlemen. We compete each year to raise the profile of Rhino Ark and the Aberdares locally and internationally. We continue to draw loyal following and awareness for Rhino Ark from our supporters, friends and families, giving one of Kenya's last remaining forests a real chance of survival. We thank you sincerely.
