SWAT PATROL UK NEWS/UPDATE

[WOBBLY]

We as a EU based group of volunteer pilots are set up to help you eradicate your Rhino poaching issues

This is the core of the problem. You completely ignored my concern, and display complete arrogance by assuming that you are the self proclaimed experts, and want to "help" us poor illiterate 3rd world useless microlight pilots by sending your own EU based team to sort out the rhino poaching problem! . This does not wash well with us locals. If you want to help, then offer assistance to what the locals are already trying to achieve. Do some research, and you'll find many local anti rhino poaching initiatives who are making a difference. Help them!
We're not helping you because you came in with completely the wrong attitude! You want to force your pilots and your ideas on a country you know little about, to solve a rhino poaching problem that you probably first became aware of through your foreign media, and only know 1 side of the story!

Yes our government is apathetic towards the problem, and yes, the problem is escalating, but we locals are dealing with it internally, as we know where the problems lie, so maybe the foreigners should either stand with us and assist, or butt out!

D20 ( or is it R2D2 ? )
The core of your Countries Rhino problem is that you have so much corruption within the Rhino environment that you cannot solve the problem as you can't see the wood for the trees and neither can you see that so much insider trading is going on which is just killing off the populous of Rhino. 30% of the people involved in Rhino conservation are striving to stop poaching but 70% are just feeding a demand and possibly earning well from the 'illegal' poaching.

I am sorry if you feel that our arrogance is demeaning your attempts, try looking at it from our viewpoint and you may see that 668 Rhino being killed annually doesn't bode well with Worldwide followers of Rhino, without putting too fine a point on it..... your current system isn't working and it needs looking at.
We were quite prepared to invest our funding & time to assist Rhino Parks in whatever way they required, Frank spent time trying to sort out sites within SA and seemed to draw more blanks than positives. I have personally spent a significant amount of time dotting the I's & crossing the T's within regards to Aviation clearances to operate within our chosen areas.

Our perception of what we have found is that most SA Rhino Conservation areas are crying out for help but they actually have enough help, what they want is our funding without us having any involvement, from the Zimbabwe Rhino Parks we plan to be involved with we have agreed that our funding will be controlled by ourselves as I have to personally quantify our spend to our backers.

Hope this explains my position now?

[D2O]

The core of your Countries Rhino problem is that you have so much corruption within the Rhino environment that you cannot solve the problem as you can't see the wood for the trees and neither can you see that so much insider trading is going on which is just killing off the populous of Rhino. 30% of the people involved in Rhino conservation are striving to stop poaching but 70% are just feeding a demand and possibly earning well from the 'illegal' poaching.

It's amazing that a foreigner with no stated credentials and who cannot even communicate with our local parks board, nor with our local anti-rhino poaching initiative organisers can make such profound statements. On what FACTS are you basing these assumptions, and what PROOF do you have of any of this, or is this just your own opinion? What are your credentials that make you an expert in this matter anyway? Do you even have a Game Ranger qualification? Have you ever worked with African wildlife conservation groups? You never did answer Tumbleweed's questions, and I wonder if it's because you don't have the credentials, nor have you bothered to communicate with the proper relevant organisations.

I am sorry if you feel that our arrogance is demeaning your attempts, try looking at it from our viewpoint and you may see that 668 Rhino being killed annually doesn't bode well with Worldwide followers of Rhino, without putting too fine a point on it..... your current system isn't working and it needs looking at

Well, I can easily say that your UK animal welfare is also drawing international attention with the horse meat found in Tesco's burger patties, and that your country's system isn't working and needs looking at, but you don't see me interfering and going over there and getting all sorts of sponsorship to "help" you with your horse meat problem whilst getting a sponsored holiday, and making uneducated assumptions about your meat quality and animal welfare issues, now do you?

Frankly, your tone is arrogant, you are belittling our country, our anti-rhino poaching efforts and our pilots, what we are trying to do regarding rhino poaching, and you are part of the problem, because you sir, are profiting from the slaughter of rhinos by coming over here, spending unsuspecting sponsors money for your flying holiday. You could have saved the sponsors a whole lot of money by just engaging with our anti-rhino poaching teams in South Africa who have volunteer pilots and planes readily available without charge, but you decide instead to buy yourselves NEW planes at a considerable expense, and bring over your foreign pilots who also cost money and do NOT have local knowledge nor game ranger skills, or skills in flying in the African bush. If you do not combine efforts with other anti-rhino poaching initiatives, especially local, then I can only assume that you have no intention of saving money, and your initiative amounts to nothing more than a profiteering business paid holiday. You are part of the 70%! Prove me wrong!
Your words:

70% are just feeding a demand and possibly earning well from the 'illegal' poaching.

By the way, how many rhino have been saved, and poachers captured DIRECTLY as a result of your efforts?

D20 ( or is it R2D2 ? )

This is text on a screen, so there's no room for misunderstandings. I can only assume you are being derogatory, and I no longer wish to communicate with you.
An interesting thing about name calling is that it's a sign that you are losing the argument.
Good day sir, I'm done with you. Good luck with your flying holiday.
I've got flying to do
Coat, Hat, Door

[Dobbs]

Hi Wobbly, I am somewhat intrigued that you have not responded to my query / statement - second post?

I gave both Peter and Frank the contact details of a security company that focusses exclusively on the protection of wildlife, where at least 60% of their effort is specifically taking care of the rhino in a number of private and national reserves. For whatever reason, no one has bothered to contact this company.

My cynical thought processes tells me that maybe, just maybe, they are in opposition to you in their quest to also get a free African Safari flying holiday.

Lastly, what are your credentials which makes you believe that you can be of any benefit to our conservation efforts?

[flying4rhino]

October 2013 I wrote to Frank/SWAT:

"Hi Frank,

..... the best concerted effort at the moment is being run by RAGE (Rhino Action Group Effort). They are credible and have shown accountability.
I am sure a group of you, as you mentioned, could make a difference by contacting them. http://www.rhinorage.org

Give it a go and let us know what they say."

Keen to hear what RAGE said ?

THANKS KLOOT I CONTACTED THEM 19/10/2012 SEE EMAIL BELOW , SINCE THEN I HAVE BEEN LIAISON WITH JEAN BERDOU I AM WELL AWARE OF THE OPERATIONS THANKS
FRANK


Ingrid Falck

To frankspiniello@hotmail.co.uk

Hi Frank,


Once again thank you so much for your idea to assist.

I have spoken to both our Private Rhino Owner Association and to SANParks but unfortunately this is not a workable solution.


Keep up your support and ideas!

Kindest regards

Ingrid

Ingrid Falck

RAGE Committee Admin



Hi Ingrid


Within National Parks this is simply not possible given various rules and regulations associated with civil aviation and fly-over policies.


Regards





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Website Contact



Frank Spiniello
Has the following to say:
I am hoping to muster up a of team of volunteer microlight pilots from around the world to work alongside and support a variety of pro-active Rhino anti poaching projects. Volunteer pilots will be providing aerial recognisance to aid conservation workers on the ground, providing vital air cover, where conservation workers are drastically loosing rhinos to poaching due to lack of air support. This self funding UK initiative is still in the planning stage, please let me know if will requre our assistance.


Contact Details:
frankspiniello@hotmail.co.uk


Error! Filename not specified.


Visit the RAGE Website


--
Ingrid Falck
+27 83 289 4880
ingsfalck@gmail.com

Angry about rhino poaching? Go to http://www.rhinorage.org




South African National Parks
643 Leyds Street, Muckleneuk, Pretoria, South Africa

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--
Ingrid Falck
+27 83 289 4880
ingsfalck@gmail.com

Angry about rhino poaching? Go to http://www.rhinorage.org

[John Boucher]

I am so the hell in now as the finger sensing pad on my laptop was activated and it deleted by simple keystrokes the whole story I had written. May be it is better that way as I may have stepped on some persons toes. I hope to say what I wanted in the original post....

We have a saying in SA - Jy speel nou met die GROOT LEEU SE BAL! Translated it means that "You are playing with the big lion's testicles". It just does sound better in Afrikaans though. Africa is a "tough" country and the bush and conditions seriously relentless and unforgiving!! It's not for sissies and the pilots that DO FLY these areas treat it with the utmost respect and caution.

The persons you wish to "observe" or "track" from the air is not the garden variety cat burglar you get in the UK. They are TERRORISTS with a total disregard for any form of life - animal and human - what makes them even more dangerous is that they can be compared to a "suicide bomber"! They will "die" in the process to achieve what they set out to do. What's more, mostly they are not armed with "pellet guns" .... nope, the weapon of choice being an AK-47. So throw caution to the wind, this ain't no Dr Livingston trek in to deepest darkest corners of Africa. The ball game has changed since then.

If you okes want to do something... ask the Queen to send Prince William in an Apache Gunship or three with lots of armour plating before contemplating the great trek into AFRICA and trying to RESOLVE our plight.

[John Boucher]

Gents.... I think this has gone on long enough and have LOCKED the thread.