A North East vet is planning to run the Great North Run in a rhino suit to raise money to help save the endangered species.
Danny De Vries, who works at Clifton Lodge Vets in Hartlepool, Billingham, Peterlee, and Sedgefield, hopes to raise £5,000 for Save The Rhino, a charity dedicated to curbing rhino poaching.
He also aims to break the world record for the fastest half marathon in an animal suit, which currently stands at one hour 47 minutes 30 seconds.
The record is held by a runner from the US, who achieved this while dressed as a gorilla.
Mr De Vries will don the 10kg suit in September for the AJ Bell Great North Run.
The suit restricts his movement as well as being hot and heavy.
He said: "As well as being hot, you can’t swing your arms when you run, and you have limited vision.
"I don’t train in the rhino suit although I do park runs wearing it to raise awareness.
"I train in weighted vests and do a lot of strength training for my legs."
Mr De Vries, who lives in Stockton, was inspired to raise the funds due to growing up in Bloemfontein, South Africa, where rhino poaching is a significant issue.
Driven by demand for their horn in Asia for traditional Chinese medicine or as a wealth symbol, a rhino is poached every 15 hours in Africa.
He said: "As a vet, it is natural to want to help those who can’t speak for themselves.
"I don’t want the rhino to become extinct and any money I raise will go to a charity trying to protect rhinos and reduce the illegal horn trade.
"I grew up close to wildlife parks like the Kruger National Park so I saw how the illegal horn trade was threatening the existence of rhinos and how difficult it is to prevent the poachers as rangers can’t monitor every section of park.
“There were 420 rhinos poached for their horn last year and I want to do everything I can to help the people who are trying to save them.
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"Coming from South Africa, this feels personal, but they are also an endangered animal and as a vet I care passionately about all animals.”
Mr De Vries moved to the North East from South Africa after studying veterinary medicine at Onderstepoort, part of the University of Pretoria.
To support Mr De Vries' cause, donations can be made on his fundraising page on the link highlighted above.
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