• Advertise
  • About us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Contact us
Saturday, June 21, 2025
Australian Times News
  • News
    • Weather
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Business & Finance
      • Currency Zone
    • Lotto Results
      • The Lott
  • Lifestyle
    • Entertainment
    • Horoscopes
    • Health & Wellness
    • Recipes
  • Travel
  • Expat Life
  • Move to Australia
No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Weather
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Business & Finance
      • Currency Zone
    • Lotto Results
      • The Lott
  • Lifestyle
    • Entertainment
    • Horoscopes
    • Health & Wellness
    • Recipes
  • Travel
  • Expat Life
  • Move to Australia
No Result
View All Result
Australian Times News
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Aussie soldiers join crusade to save rhinos

After serving in Timor Leste as part of the country’s UN mission, three Australian soldiers decided to take on a scourge that targets some of the planet’s most vulnerable citizens.

Shannon Gillies by Shannon Gillies
16-06-2014 08:12
in News
Rhino

shutterstock_155704154

Shannon French, Cameron Wheelehen and Tom Potter travelled to Africa to teach rangers new techniques in their on-going fight against Black Rhino poachers as volunteers for the International Anti-Poaching Foundation [IAPF].

The IAPF was set up by former Australian soldier Damien Mander and the organisation aims to up-skill the approach of rangers and defend wildlife at risk in an effort to confront tech-savvy and well financed poaching networks.

The men met on operations in Timor Leste when they were part of the International Stabilisation Force. Originally Mr French went to Zimbabwe and volunteered. From there he and Mr Wheelehen went to Africa to work with the IPAF and seek adventure. Mr Potter followed in their footsteps in an effort to make the most of his army educated skill set.

Tom Potter - Save Rhinos
PHOTO: Tom Potters trained rangers and fought against poachers hunting black rhino.

National Geographic says the rhinos are generally hunted for their horn which some people believe holds magical powers and can be used for medicinal purposes.

Mr Potter was based near Victoria Falls.

AlsoRead...

Leading with Trust: Why Quality still wins in the AI Era

Leading with Trust: Why Quality still wins in the AI Era

5 June 2025
Why Australian Investors are Betting on the Aviation Maverick Louis Belanger-Martin

Why Australian Investors are Betting on the Aviation Maverick Louis Belanger-Martin

28 May 2025

The rangers who worked on the reserve are the sorts of guys who already come equipped with so much knowledge, says Mr Potter.

“I mean we’re talking about men who were born in the bush and could hear a giraffe before they would see it and they could tell that by a footprint in the ground if a specific animal was pregnant.”

Mr Potter’s role was to help with the implementation of new technology and go on patrols. “Always making sure that the only foot prints in the game park were our own.”

While there, he did catch a poacher. One man had come through the fence and upon being caught he said he had become lost and wandered off his track but the rangers with Mr Potter quickly deduced that he was lying. People in this part of Africa do not get lost from their village if they are a local, they said. “We found him and he was sent to jail, which was great.”

Rhino in Africa

The park also had a success story when they shut down a poaching party that contained a professional hunter and an off-duty police officer. The men had come through the game fence and got separated when a pride of lions also came into the park causing the men to panic. The rangers were able to find one of the men hiding up a tree who quickly gave up the information about his colleagues. The rangers and police then worked together to perform a raid on the house where the poachers were staying and uncovered a cache of weapons and were able to arrest the men.

“It saved the rhino and the rangers a lot of hassle.”

Mr Potter says his time with IAPF has impacted him. It may have only been a month but he can see how the rangers form such strong bonds with the animals they’ve being tasked to look after.

“It puts a lot things in perspective especially being in places like Africa. There’s a lot of selfless people out there who do things out of pure love. And after operating in places where all you see is a saturation of human greed and people out there for their own wellbeing, it was really nice to work with men, hard, hard, men who were in it to help something other than themselves.”

To find out more about anti-poaching click this link:

Additional rhino images, courtesy Shutterstock.com

Tags: AfricaAustralia in world news
DMCA.com Protection Status

SUBSCRIBE to our NEWSLETTER

[mc4wp_form id=”2384248″]

Don't Miss

From Portugal to Bali: Where Aussies Should Go for Your Next Coastal Holiday

by Fazila Olla-Logday
20 June 2025
Source: Flickr
Travel

Aussies, here is a guide to where you should go for your next coastal holiday.

Read more

Leading with Trust: Why Quality still wins in the AI Era

by Pauline Torongo
5 June 2025
Leading with Trust: Why Quality still wins in the AI Era
Business & Finance

If you're leading a software team today, you've likely noticed the shift: faster feature rollouts, routine automation, and AI taking...

Read more

How to Save on Airport Parking: Budget Tips Every Traveller Should Know

by Fazila Olla-Logday
3 June 2025
How to Save on Airport Parking
Travel

Saving money on airport parking can be a challenge,but here are some budget friendly tips to help you navigate.

Read more

Why Australian Investors are Betting on the Aviation Maverick Louis Belanger-Martin

by Pauline Torongo
28 May 2025
Why Australian Investors are Betting on the Aviation Maverick Louis Belanger-Martin
Business & Finance

Bélanger-Martin’s ambitions stretch beyond redefining inflight comfort—they’re rooted in resurrecting the romance of supersonic travel with a modern twist.

Read more

Why a Gluten Free Hamper is simply the Best Gift for a Coeliac

by Fazila Olla-Logday
22 May 2025
Gluten Free Hamper
at

Buying a thoughtful gift can be tricky at the best of times, but when someone has dietary restrictions like coeliac...

Read more

Biela.dev is quietly becoming the Infrastructure Layer for the Next Internet

by Pauline Torongo
15 May 2025
Biela.dev is quietly becoming the Infrastructure Layer for the Next Internet
Technology

Biela.dev is not merely a consumer app; it is infrastructure. It could be a layer that powers the next generation...

Read more

The Battle for the Premier League’s Fifth Champions League Spot: Who Will Prevail?

by Fazila Olla-Logday
8 May 2025
Premier-Leagues-Fifth-Champions-League-Janosch-Diggelmann-Unsplash
at

As the Premier League season nears its climax, the race for the coveted Champions League places is tighter and more...

Read more
Load More

Copyright © Blue Sky Publications Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
australiantimes.co.uk is a division of Blue Sky Publications Ltd. Reproduction without permission prohibited. DMCA.com Protection Status

  • About us
  • Write for Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact us
  • T&Cs, Privacy and GDPR
No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Weather
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Business & Finance
      • Currency Zone
    • Lotto Results
      • The Lott
  • Lifestyle
    • Entertainment
    • Horoscopes
    • Health & Wellness
    • Recipes
  • Travel
  • Expat Life
  • Move to Australia

Copyright © Blue Sky Publications Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
australiantimes.co.uk is a division of Blue Sky Publications Ltd. Reproduction without permission prohibited. DMCA.com Protection Status