Botswana

·amura· 129 conservancy • conservación Meanwhile, rhinos have fought and barely survived their own battles. In the last century the numbers in rhino popu- lations have decreased dramatically, and black rhinos were actually declared extinct in Botswana by the early 90s. Both white and black rhinos have been reintroduced to the Okavan- go region, and are thriving despite their reduced numbers. But rhino horns are highly coveted because they are believed to contain powerful curative properties against life-threat- ening diseases like cancer, and they are still hunted periodi- cally. Laws in Botswana state that a poacher, if caught, could serve up to 15 years in prison and pay a 100,000 pula fine. One of the reasons why Botswana has been successful against poaching is because it has zero tolerance against aggressors. Late last month, the Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, trav- elled to Botswana to assist the Annual General Meeting for Rhino Conservation Botswana in Maun to support the orga- nization’s charity as patron. In 2016, before he was appointed patron for the organization, he traveled to Botswana to help Map Ives, former Wilderness Safaris Botswana Environmental Director, on an operation to fit electronic tracking devices to black rhinos, listed as critically endangered.