College – Issue 36

THOUGHT LEADER Grant Fowlds – Rhino Conservationist

The fragile state of Earth is never more obvious than when considering the declining numbers of unique animals treading the planet.

Passionate conservationist Grant Fowlds, from a family dedicated to saving the rhinoceros, spelt out the situation in a thought provoking address in the Chapman Room on Tuesday 26 March. Relating his first-hand experience of growing up in a natural environment and having to deal with the consequences of 21st century greed in the exploding demand of all forms of animal trafficking, Grant

proved a compelling advocate for endangered species. Together with his family and others Grant was part of a group which pioneered a wildlife project called Amakhala Game Reserve – now a leading tourism brand based in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. As an ambassador for Project Rhino and speaker, he has spread the word to audiences in many countries including several in South-East Asia which are consumer countries

for rhino. Grant was a charismatic and captivating speaker. His presentation centred on the vast increase in rhino poaching in the last decade, to the extent that these animals are now at serious threat of extinction. He ended with a “walk” through a rhino project, leaving the audience with a compelling message, the importance of the race against the theory, “Endangered means we still have time, but extinction is forever”.

College Issue 36 2019

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