NAIROBI, Kenya, June 4 – Terry Childs and his car number 49 team rumbled to overall victory at the 2012 Rhino Charge that raised Sh84.627m for forest conservation efforts.
The event held in Il-Ingwesi in Laikipia District saw last year’s winner Mark Glen and past champion Alan McKitrrick return home in second and third.
Childs won after checking in at all 14 guard posts in cumulative distance of 47.678Km with Glen in his two-door Range Rover covering 50.647Km as McKitrrick took 51.599Km to complete the challenge.
One of the most entertaining aspects of the Charge, namely the Gauntlet, attracted a mammoth crowd where Peter Bonde-Nielsen in a Bush Rover 100 triumphed after checking in all three points in 1.29Km.
He was followed by Mahesh Bhatti and Adil Khawaja respectively.
The event organised by the Rhino Ark to raise money for the building of fences around Mt. Kenya and Mt. Eburu managed to beat last year’s Sh77.311m.
The two projects will be undertaken in full collaboration with local communities living adjacent to these valuable mountain ecosystems/
Mt. Kenya fence will be at least 400Km long – equal or possibly longer than the now completed Aberdare fence – encircling over 2000sq Km and will require Sh1billion to build and will be completed within five years subject to regular flow of funds.
Mau Eburu will be 50Km and will cost Sh100m encircling about 80sq km of a pristine forest- greatly endangered by illegal loggers.
All entrance fees to the Charge revert to the local landowners, which this year amounted to Sh2.7m.
