Motorbike ride on the wild side to help fight rhino poaching

Alex Jackson, a motorcycle enthusiast, runs Kaapstad Motorcycle Adventure Tours taking groups of people on motorbike safaris through South Africa.

He first visited the country in 1988 and fell in love with it, but he is concerned about the poaching problem the country is facing.

Alex first did the Ride for Rhinos in 2013, a solo ride through the wild to publicise the mindless slaughter of the animals and to garner support for their protection against poachers.

This year he is taking a group of motorcyclists from across the world with him, they will circumnavigate South Africa on the Ride for Rhinos 18-day adventure, leaving Johannesburg on September 17.

The group will be raising money to buy specialist equipment for the Kruger National Park Anti Poaching Unit.

He said: “This time I wanted to raise money and help the poaching unit buy equipment, as well as raising awareness.

“It is the first time a motorcycle group will be able to ride into Crocodile Bridge Camp in Kruger National Park, it is one of the biggest parks in South Africa. We have been given special permission to ride into camp and stay the night. The money we raise on Ride for Rhinos will go to the poaching unit within Kruger National Park.

“Hopefully we raise about £7,000, that can help them buy equipment. These rangers are out there in the field fighting against the poachers who are sometimes better armed than they are.

“In total we will be travelling 5,500km, which works out to be 1km for every rhino that has been killed from poaching over the last five years.”

> To make a donation to Ride for Rhinos visit: www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/Ride-for-Rhinos.