Beginning of the project: 2015
Donation sum collected in 2023: 387 757 CZK
Overall fundraising revenue: 1 054 529 CZK
Method of financing: a donation box by the rhino exhibit
The full revenue has been handed over to the organization called Save the Rhino. The incredibly saddening case of rhinoceros is very well known all around the globe. There are 5 rhino species, 3 native to Asia, the other 2 to Africa; two of the species have less than 50 individuals left in the wild. The most disturbing is the case of the northern white rhino. It’s population has declined to alarming two individuals left on Earth, both of them being female. To maintain the last beacon of hope, armed workers are guarding them day and night, with the hopes it could be possible to rescue the species via genetic engineering someday.
To redeem mankind for placing another species to struggle on the verge of extinction due to poaching, armed conflicts, trophy hunting and black market sale, the Save the Rhino organization financially supports the vital anti-poaching patrols (in Africa, 1 rhino is poached every 15 hours), securing all the equipment the rangers need to save the last rhinos on Earth, as well as expanding canine units proven to be crucial to the poacher tracking.
In May 2015, we have placed a money collection box by the rhino exhibit to help protecting the majestic mammals in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi National Park, South Africa. During the 19th century, much of the wildlife within KwaZulu-Natal province was killed by intense unregulated hunting, targetting the wildlife for ivory, skins, and rhino horns. Elephants and lions were extirpated completely from the area and the southern white rhino was believed to be extinct until 1894 when 50 rhinos were found in the area of today’s Hluhluwe-iMfolozi NP. Due to the intense rhino protection, the southern white rhino population has increased from 50 to 18,000. In order to prevent the species from going extinct due to a potential contagious diseases or anthrax (naturally occurring in ground) poisoning, this subspecies of rhino was translocated to Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana and Kenya in order to establish populations.
Since 2008, the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi park has to face a new, skyrocketing wave of intensive rhino poaching. To tackle this alarming problem, the donations provided by our visitors are used to purchase GPS navigations, binoculars, tents, raincoats, camouflage uniforms, bullet-proof vests and night-vision devices for the rangers.
FROM ALL THE HEART, THANK YOU FOR YOUR DONATIONS PROVING NOT EVERYONE STANDS INDIFFERENT TO THE ABUSE OF WILDLIFE AND SOME HUMANS CAN STILL ACT HUMANE!
Photos: Dirk Swart, a pilot and a section ranger at Hluhluwe-iMfolozi National Park
