On Saturday the 7th October, guests staying at Elephant’s Eye, Hwange took part in the Global March for Elephants and Rhinos (GMFER) to raise awareness and contribute to the global voice to demand an end to the trade in ivory, rhino horns, and lion bones in Africa. This special game walk at Elephant’s Eye, Hwange was the official march for the whole of Zimbabwe. During the procession, a local herd of elephants just a mere 40 meters away decided to join in as well to our guests’ absolute astonishment and delight! The illustrious author, Tony Park, well-known as being an enthusiastic ambassador for the Hwange region through his African themed novels, joined our guests on the march. Sponsored by our NPO Grow Africa, all proceeds from the t-shirts and caps went to the non-profit global march organisation.
Sadly, an insatiable appetite for rhino horn and elephant ivory has put both these majestic creatures at great risk. Rhinos are on the verge of extinction and elephants are endangered due to illegal poaching as well as, in the case of elephants, legal hunting. If we don’t act soon one day there might not be any left in the wild. The Big Five may have to become the Big Three. As an eco-lodge, with a commitment to conservation, Elephant’s Eye, Hwange simply cannot stand by and let this happen. This is why we partner with organisations like the GMFER to spread awareness and raise funds where possible. The GMFER brings global awareness to this cause with organised marches taking place in 130 cities worldwide, as well as lobbying world leaders to ban ivory and rhino trade. It is through widespread action like this that we can start to make a real difference.
Hideaways is passionate about involving our guests and staff in conservation because we believe it is an essential cause for everyone to take action on. Additionally, it was incredibly serendipitous to have the elephants join us on our march through the concession. Of course, elephants are incredibly intelligent so perhaps they knew what we were marching for and wanted to come by and say thank you for the support.
