Mount Vernon launches Rhino Tears wines

All proceeds from the sale of the wines are given to the Unite Against Poaching trust. The funds are handed over to SANParks Honorary Rangers who continuously and at great risk protect South Africa's endangered rhinos in their habitat.

According to statistics, the poaching rate in South Africa is about 6% of the country's population each year, which is equal to the country's birth rate. "The reality facing Honorary Rangers is akin to that of UN peacekeepers; they are the very people that defend against the slaughter of innocents every single day," says Bradley Elliott, MD of Platinum Seed, the digital agency responsible for the creation of the e-commerce site. "The work they do involves long hours with little support and the risk of danger, and yet, without much praise they continue protecting South Africa's heritage."

Skills and dedication

Costing around R55 per bottle, the goal is to reach R1m, which would go a long way to strengthening the efforts of the Honorary Rangers. This especially as the first quarter of the year already saw 393 rhinos being killed across the country. "Our team who travelled to the Mokhohlolo camp for Honorary Rangers were bowled over by the level of skill and dedication required from both the rangers and their trained dog-unit, who take the brunt of the responsibility in identifying possible dangers," adds Elliott.

Offering both a red and white wine, Mount Vernon created a fruit-driven Chenin Blanc, and an adaptable red wine made from Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinotage grapes. "For us this campaign is different because we contribute R15 per bottle to the trust, which is more than any other brand does as a percentage of the product's cost. Platinum Seeds' involvement in managing our social media and in developing this e-commerce platform, at no cost, has added significant value to our campaign's marketing and distribution efforts," says John Hooper, director of Mount Vernon.

"The call to action is simple, the e-commerce site will allow all South Africans from the most remote parts of the country to show their support to the ongoing fight against rhino killing, while enjoying fantastic wine at the same time. It will equip the rangers to do more and match the threat with sufficient force and the right intelligence," says Hooper.

Those supporters who wish not to purchase wine can make a donation via the Rhino Tears SMS donation line. SMS the word Rhino to 38730 and R10 will be collected for the campaign.

For more info, go to www.rhinotears.co.za.