Presenting the Mazda sponsorship cheque during the annual Sunset Serenade classical music concerts at Letaba in the Kruger National Park, Jeff Nemeth, president and CEO of Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa, said: "As always, this event provides us with a great opportunity to reflect on the fantastic work done by the Honorary Rangers in the fight against poaching.
"Now, more than ever, poaching is having devastating consequences on our wildlife population. We hope that our donation will help the Honorary Rangers further their quest to counter poaching and conserve many endangered species, including the increasingly threatened Rhino."
The Honorary Rangers Organisation is a volunteer programme that aims to combat poaching in Southern Africa. They provide Counter Poaching and Ranger Support Services to the South African National Parks.
The Mazda Wildlife Fund was formed in April 1990, funded jointly by Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa and its nation-wide network of Mazda Dealers. The MWF has contributed R27.5 million over the past 21 years and to date the fund has supported over 150 projects.
As the fund's commitment to environmental conservation is viewed as long term, it has formed a partnership with the relevant leading NGOs in South Africa through the creation of an Advisory Board, which reviews applications made to the Fund for assistance and recommends specific projects for Mazda Wildlife sponsorship.
The fund currently supports 29 non-government/non-profit organisation type projects with 30 vehicles, covering every aspect of conservation and environmental education. These are situated throughout South Africa and include structured environmental educational projects, research projects and projects involved in the direct preservation of endangered species and habitats. To date over 140 projects have received support from the fund.
As poaching continues to dominate local headlines, the Mazda Wildlife Fund's donation will go a long way in assisting the Honorary Ranger's quest. A spokesman for the Honorary Rangers said poaching syndicates were often well armed, highly skilled and adept in the bush environment. For this reason rangers needed to possess not only greater skills, but also high-quality equipment in order to match the onslaught.
The Sunset Serenade is a regular event on Mazda's calendar. It gives attendees the opportunity to experience the beauty of South Africa's environmental heritage while being treated to music by the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra while at the same time contributing towards the needs of the Honorary Rangers.
