Slipping and sliding in mud, getting stuck in everything from thornbushes to gullies, digging up sand and mud, carrying team-mates, getting soaked to the skin or sweating like a pig and, more recently, climbing trees to escape irate buffalos and elephants. All these and more are part of the Rhino Charge recipe. But the most important factor is raising money for conservation in Kenya through the real spirit of sport where the main ingredients are fun, teamwork and companionship.

Or as Ken Kuhle, Chairman of Rhino Ark Trust, said "The (Rhino) Charge is all about raising money to protect our environment and assist local communities to live in harmony with wildlife. Since we started this massive project we have seen a steady increase in the rhino population in this area".

It is a three-day event that caters for anyone who can drive a car from point A to point B cross-country. Good off-road driving skills, navigational expertise, understanding a bit about mechanics and having a good sense of humour do come in very useful.

Each team pays a minimum of Kshs. 40,000 (US$690) to enter and tries to raise even more money in aid of the charity.

The aim is to check-in at 10 sponsored checkpoints within 10 hours without damaging the environment, speeding or completely breaking down whilst trying to cover the shortest distance possible.

The course is revealed only at the last moment, the evening of the first day. At the crack of dawn the next day the competitors set off with the hope of being back, intact (both their cars and themselves) by six in the evening. The last day is prize-giving day.

There are several interesting awards: Biggest Lunatic, Mzee (old), and the Coup des Dames (mud and mascara!) which was introduced this year and won by Karen Jenkins and team in a Land Rover (24th Overall). Another is the David Schaeffer Trophy won by Neil McCrae and team in a Toyota Landcruiser.

The Rhino Charge is organised by the Rhino Ark Trust. A different location is chosen for the event every year. This year it was held on Tomlinsons ranch, 40 kms north of Nanyuki.

The first Rhino Charge rally was held in 1989 on Mt. Suswa. Its goal was to raise money to help protect the Aberdare Rain Forest which was slowly being eroded by farming and wood poaching, and to save the black rhino. The idea originally came from a group of safari enthusiasts whose notion of a family outing was to drive cross-country exploring wild and remote areas.

In 1989, there were 35 entrants, 200 supporters and Kshs 25,000 (US$ 431) was raised. This year, there were 51 teams, 800 conservationists and supporters, raising a total Kshs 10.2 million (US$ 176,000), the largest amount ever. Last year's event in Wamba, raised Kshs. 9.3 million (US$ 160,345).

Among this year's sponsors were African Air Rescue, Associated Vehicle Assemblers, British Army Training Liaison Staff Kenya, Bins Limited, Car & General, Coca-Cola, D. T. Dobie & Company, Hardi Kenya, Kenya Breweries Limited, Kenya Pipeline Company, Kenya Wildlife Service, Kenya Wine Agencies Limited., Kingsway Motors, Land Rover Kenya, Lonrho Motors, Lufthansa, M-Net, Safari Rally Limited, Super Sport, Total Kenya and United Touring Company.

Since the Rhino Ark Trust was founded in 1987, it has helped to initiate, supervise and raise funds aimed at creating a wildlife sanctuary, and to surround all the 767 km2 of the Aberdare rainforest with an electric fence. So far, 80 kilometres of fence have been constructed as well as infrastructure such as roads, gates and ranger accommodation at the cost of Kshs 1.5 million (US$ 25,862) per kilometre. There are still another 300 km left to do.

Thanks to the Kenya Wildlife Service, the Rhino Ark Trust, and many supporters, this vital effort is being made to protect the Aberdare rainforest, without which many people would suffer in different ways. For example, if the forest continues to be cut down (many hectares of forest are lost daily), Nairobi will have acute water shortage since the forest is a major water catchment area that supplies Nairobi's water system.

There is a saying that runs along these lines, "you don't appreciate what you have until you lose it".

The Aberdare National Park is the largest complete and natural ecosystem left in Kenya today. It contains many rare species of fauna and flora.

The electric fence is not only to protect the ecosystem but the surrounding farmers from crop damage by animals, especially rhinos and elephants. In turn, the farmers police the fence, reporting on its state and so ensuring that it is kept well maintained.

Inside the forest is the Black Rhino Sanctuary. The black rhino is Kenya's only indigenous rhino. By 1990, it was almost extinct mainly due to poaching. The animal was murdered in cold blood just for its horn to be sold illegally at extortionate prices mainly in the Far East (for medical purposes) and in Yemen (to decorate dagger handles). In 1991, the horn was retailing for up to US$ 10,000 per kilo and in 1992 a single horn could fetch US$ 25,000.

In 1970, there were 20,000 black rhinos, 20 years later less than two per cent of these rhinos were alive, a total of 360 animals. Since 1991, a five per cent annual increase of black rhino in Kenya has been recorded. By last year, the population of black rhino in the Aberdare Forest alone had risen to over 60, making it one of the most successful rhino sanctuaries in Kenya, alongside the Nairobi National Park.

The project may sound a great and well organised idea, but as is so often the case in such human-nature conflicts, time is not on our side. The project is not made easier by a shortage of materials and funds. The community living in the area supports the project fully, but they are becoming disillusioned with the slow progress. No progress has been made over the last two years although the Rhino Ark has been raising money and public awareness, both locally and internationally.

At the present rate of degradation it is estimated that the whole forest and its unique ecosystem will be lost forever in the next five to 10 years. At the present rate of progress it will take another 20 years to implement the project.

Faced with all these problems, the Rhino Ark has developed a project proposal to establish a Fencing Construction Unit with the sole purpose of implementing the project in the shortest time and in the most economic way possible.

The Rhino Ark has full government support. It has been proposed that there will be controlled access to the forest for firewood and assistance from rangers if animals invade surrounding farms.

It will be cheaper to run the fence off solar electricity with excess power being distributed free to the surrounding communities.

For the first time ever, a Rhino Charge event will be held in North Wales in August this year. The proceeds from this Rhino Charge will come to Kenya.

Many countries, among them South Africa and Zimbabwe, are inquiring about this fund-raising sport that apart from being a great laugh also serves a good cause.

With so much to lose and so little time all should follow the example of the Rhino Ark, Kenya Wildlife Service and others to save our valuable ecosystems.

Victoria Day-Wilson
Reporting for Safarimate.