Save the Rhino

Save the Rhino
Name	Save the Rhino
Formation	1994
Type	Non-governmental organization
Headquarters	United Kingdom
Region served	Africa and Asia
Focus	Rhinoceros conservation, anti-poaching, community development

Save the Rhino

Save the Rhino is an international conservation charity focused on the protection and recovery of rhinoceros species across Africa and Asia. Working through partnerships with frontline Zoological Society of London, World Wildlife Fund, International Union for Conservation of Nature, African Wildlife Foundation and local ranger units, the organisation supports anti-poaching operations, scientific research, community development and advocacy. Its activities span engagements with governments, private reserves and international bodies such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and the United Nations Environment Programme.

History

Established in 1994, the organisation arose amid escalating declines in black and white rhinoceros populations during the late 20th century, a crisis that followed post-colonial political shifts in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Kenya. Early partnerships were forged with institutions like the London Zoo and the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust to fund captive breeding and habitat restoration projects. During the 2000s the charity expanded to support Asian conservation in Nepal and Indonesia, coordinating with the Royal Thai Government and the Government of India on measures for the greater one-horned rhinoceros. High-profile collaborations included backing for programmes linked to the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation and coordination with the Rhino Rescue Project on genetic and translocation initiatives.

Conservation Initiatives

The organisation funds and implements on-the-ground programmes including anti-poaching patrols, translocations, habitat management and community outreach in reserves such as Kruger National Park, Hluhluwe–Imfolozi Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Kaziranga National Park. It has supported captive-breeding and insurance populations in conservation centres modelled after the San Diego Zoo Global and the Smithsonian National Zoo. Partnerships with research institutions including the University of Oxford, University of Cape Town, Makerere University and the University of Nairobi underpin monitoring of genetic diversity, disease surveillance and reproductive biology. The charity also engages with international policy forums like the Bonn Convention and the IUCN World Conservation Congress to advocate for strengthened protections.

Threats

Rhinoceros face multifaceted threats including illegal trade networks centered in parts of Vietnam, China, Malaysia and Laos and habitat loss driven by development in regions near Addo Elephant National Park and Borneo. Conflict and instability in areas such as parts of Democratic Republic of the Congo and historical poaching surges linked to post-conflict demobilisation in Mozambique have exacerbated risks. Infrastructure projects tied to corridors through Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area and agricultural expansion adjacent to Corbett National Park have fragmented habitat and impeded natural dispersal.

Species and Populations

The charity focuses on all extant rhinoceros taxa: the black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) populations in southern and eastern Africa, the white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) in southern Africa and reintroduced populations in Zambia, the greater one-horned rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) in India and Nepal, the Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus) primarily in Ujung Kulon National Park on Java and the critically endangered Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) historically in Sumatra and Borneo. Conservation actions have included translocations between reserves such as moves involving Londolozi and Phinda Private Game Reserve, and emergency relocations coordinated with institutions like the Durban Natural Science Museum and international rescue teams.

Poaching and Illegal Trade

Illegal trade in rhinoceros horn involves complex criminal networks with links to trafficking hubs in Mombasa, Ho Chi Minh City, Guangzhou and Phnom Penh. The organisation supports forensic capacity building with laboratories modeled on protocols from the FBI and the National Forensic Science Technology Center and assists training exchanges with ranger forces from Zimbabwe Republic Police, South African National Parks and Royal Nepal Army. Efforts include advocacy for international enforcement through the World Customs Organization and coordination with prosecutions referencing statutes like those upheld in South African courts and litigation supported by conservation legal groups such as Wildlife Justice Commission.

Community and Economic Impact

Programs aim to link rhino conservation with livelihoods by supporting community conservancies modeled on successes in Namibia and community-based tourism initiatives similar to projects in Tanzania and Rwanda. Partnerships with development NGOs such as Oxfam and CARE International have integrated alternative income streams, microfinance and education campaigns drawing on curricula from institutions like University College London and Stellenbosch University. By promoting ecotourism tied to iconic reserves—including ticketing frameworks used by Table Mountain National Park and visitor management strategies from Masai Mara National Reserve—the charity advances incentives for local communities and private landowners to invest in rhino protection.

Research and Monitoring

Scientific programs emphasize population monitoring through methodologies refined at research centres including the Institute of Zoology, long-term demographic studies similar to those by the Mpala Research Centre, and remote sensing collaborations leveraging systems from European Space Agency and NASA for habitat analysis. Genetic research follows standards established by the American Society of Mammalogists and genome initiatives coordinated with laboratories such as the Wellcome Sanger Institute and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology. Disease surveillance partnerships include veterinary units from Royal Veterinary College and field pathology teams trained alongside specialists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Category:Wildlife conservation organizations