Cape Town - A team from SA National Parks (SANParks) will be saddling up in the name of conservation for the 109km Cape Town Cycle Tour on Sunday.
Wayne Bolton - who recently completed a 6 000km expedition around South Africa to 19 parks in the name of rhino conservation - will be one of the 10 members joining Honorary Rangers and SANParks staff from Pretoria.
Bolton, 50, who started his expedition on November 28 at Kruger National Park and ended on February 13 at Addo Elephant National Park and is still recovering, told the Cape Argus he “wouldn’t miss the opportunity to ride with the SANParks team, all kitted out”.
“SANParks is the custodian of our natural heritage and I’m honoured to be riding on behalf of their conservation projects,” he said.
He says he believes in “joint custody” when it comes to individuals coming to the fore with respect to environmental issues.
Speaking of the impact of his expedition, Bolton said it had raised just over R140 000 for the rhino orphanage Care For Wild Africa and much -needed anti-poaching equipment for National Parks.
Saskia Marlow, hospitality services manager for Table Mountain National Park (TMNP), said there were 21 national parks in South Africa, each with its own multiple conservation projects. “It’s extremely difficult for us to choose a singular project. Therefore, the theme is encompassing all of these projects which we hope to raise awareness of.”
On SANParks’ many conservation projects, TMNP’s Paddy Gordon said: “SANParks could be riding for penguins, riding for abalone, biking for baboons or racing for rhinos.
“The reality is there are so many projects that need a voice, so Riding for Conservation allows every person cycling to speak on behalf of a project that needs attention.”
Catch up with SANParks’ life-sized rhino model at the Cape Town Cycle Tour Expo from today at the underground basement parking lot at the Cape Town Stadium in Green Point.
Cape Argus