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Keeping anti-poaching vehicles on track

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Goodyear Wranglers are the tyre of choice for rangers on the Forever Wild Rhino Protection Initiative team. This is the fourth year that the tyre manufacturer is sponsoring the rugged, all terrain 4×4 tyres to help give the anti-poaching teams an advantage when patrolling the country’s nature reserves.

Forever Wild
Forever Wild

“The rangers made a specific request to have Goodyear Wranglers fitted to the vehicles,” says Wilderness Foundation’s chief operations officer, Matthew Norval. “This is the fourth year that VW has sponsored Amarok vehicles for our Forever Wild Initiative, and when the new vehicles came in, they were fitted with other tyres. Our rangers asked if Goodyear could sponsor the Wranglers again as they have proven that the tyres offer better traction and are much more robust than other tyres we’ve tried.”

Norval is positive about the impact that the initiative has had over the last few years. “In 2014, the teams supported by the Forever Wild Rhino Protection Initiative were involved in the arrest of over 38 suspected poachers, hundreds of extended patrols in parks around the country, several rhino notching exercises, the translocation of a number of rhino for safety reasons, and many public awareness events.”

Although specific details of all of the anti-poaching activities cannot be shared in a public forum, The Wilderness Foundation and the members of its Forever Wild teams are pleased with the numerous successes throughout the year, and hope to continue this success in 2016.

“Goodyear is proud to be part of the sponsorship team that assists proactive rhino protection and anti-poaching activities.  As a leading 4×4 tyre brand in South Africa we are honoured that Goodyear Wrangler ATSA+ was indeed the rangers’ tyre of choice and contributes to their safety and comfort on challenging terrain,” says Tracy Maclear, Goodyear’s Marketing & Brand Manager.

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.