Wildlife warrior runs for rhinos
GQEBERHA-born endurance athlete and wildlife warrior Sharon Jessop is going bigger and better this year – all in the name of conservation.
The 52-yar-old conservationist and her team will embark on a 91-day journey of more than
3 000km, starting on World Rhino Day (September 22) in honour of the rangers and anti-poaching units on the frontlines daily.
Her journey will see her running to and through 30 game reserves, including Big 5 reserves, and will bring her to the Zululand region in November.
Sharon said the aim is to raise awareness and funds for rhino conservation, anti-poaching initiatives and conservation communities in the three provinces they will traverse, as well as help drive tourism.
“We partake in extraordinary initiatives that represent fun and adventure to get people involved in rhino conservation initiatives," she said.
“We make use of endurance sport to get people to move from caring to doing for our wildlife and communities. “Furthermore, there is the symbolic linking of the reserves in a rhino conservation stronghold,” she said. In 2020, in addition to raising more than R40 000 for the One Land, Love It (OLLI) Foundation for conservation and the Community Chest of the Eastern Cape, Jessop completed 102 consecutive half marathons, becoming the unofficial Guinness World Record holder for the most consecutive halfmarathon distances run by a female. This year, her expedition will feature as a social media reality show. She will start at the Donkin Reserve as Wayne Bolton from the OLLI Foundation ends his 'Forever Rhino Ride' cycling expedition, currently under way. Sharon will finish her escapade on 21 December at the Lebombo border post between South Africa and Mozambique, outside Komatipoort. Follow Sharon's journey by searching for on Facebook or Instagram.