BIHL helps conserve rhinos through arts
Lindiwe Mozola | Wednesday June 17, 2015 16:10
The unveiling of the fiberglass sculpture of a white rhino was held at the Francistown Civic Centre yesterday where it will be on display. The initiative called ‘Rhinos in the City’ comes as part of the trust’s nationwide project aimed at increasing awareness around rhino conservation efforts against poaching.
According to BIHL Trust Chairperson, Bakwena Oitsile, poaching is one of the major concerns that continue to threaten the tourism sector in Botswana, which is among those that thrive in the economy of Botswana. He said that as BIHL they came up with this initiative so that rhinos do not go extinct due to poaching.
He explained that the rhino is among very important animals that need to be conserved for future generations.
In addition, the extinction of a species can have a negative economic effect on the tourism industry more especially in a country like Botswana that relies on its wildlife.
“It can therefore be a great risk for economic hardships if the prevalence of poaching is high,” he said.
He noted that illegal trading and trafficking of wildlife is growing at an alarming rate as rhinos are killed for their horns. The horns are then sold as novelty items and for their medical properties, which are said to cure certain diseases.
Coming up with this initiative, therefore, was to make people aware of poaching and the importance of wildlife in their respective communities. “If they are extinct, our children will only hear about them or learn about them from books as stories,” he added.
Furthermore, he said that the sculpture would be unveiled in five major towns and cities namely Gaborone, Francistown, Maun, Selebi-Phikwe and Lobatse. So far it has only been unveiled in the cities of Gaborone and Francistown.
Reginald Bakwena chairperson of Thapong Visual Arts Centre said that the initiative gives artists an opportunity in the creative industry to take part in such great projects.
He said that it gives them exposure in terms of marketing, both locally and internationally. Bakwena further said that coming up with this structure was to inform people about the importance of keeping rhinos alive and they have realised that some people understand well through pictures.
He said that the rhino would then be painted to interpret the theme they have created which is ‘Let Them Multiply’.
“The theme informs people to stop poaching and let rhinos multiply for the benefit of the tourism sector and the coming generations,” he said.