Intl Rhino Foundation

South Africa: Poaching Figures Contrast With Country's Reputation

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:00:00 GMT

A Huge Number of Rhinos - 45 white rhinos and two endangered black rhinos - have been poached in the Kruger National Park in the past 15 months, Water and Environment Minister Buyelwa Sonjica said in a report that was tabled yesterday.

Sonjica's admission that so many rhinos had been poached is in sharp contrast to SA's international reputation of having been instrumental in saving the white rhino, particularly, from extinction.

In a response to a parliamentary question from Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Gareth Morgan, the minister also said that the plunder of abalone on our coast was continuing despite a ban on fishing for it.

Morgan asked how many incidents of poaching and of what animals had taken place last year and so far this year. The minister replied that last year one black rhino and 35 white rhinos were poached.

In the first three months of this year a further 10 white rhinos and another black rhino were illegally killed.

In addition to this information, the minister provided a comprehensive list of animals poached in the park, including buffalo, bushbuck, duiker, fish species, kudu, lion, giraffe and even hyena.

None of the national parks were immune from poaching and all those on the coast had significant abalone poaching. In Addo National Park near Port Elizabeth, for instance, there were 11 cases of abalone poaching last year. In the Table Mountain National Park there were 3645 abalone poached last year and more than 2000 were poached in the first three months of this year.

The marine shellfish alikreukel was also reportedly being poached in different coastal parks.

Sonjica said two officials, one from Table Mountain National Park and the other from the Kruger National Park were found to be involved in rhino and abalone poaching for reasons of "self enrichment". Both were dismissed from the department following disciplinary hearings and are also facing criminal charges.

In reply to a further question from DA MP Piet Pretorius, Sonjica said that since 2002, a total of 1642 abalone poachers had been arrested.

The majority of these arrests were in the Western Cape, then in the Eastern Cape and in Gauteng.

Hundreds of thousands of abalone had been recovered from the arrested poachers since 1994.

There were 21002 recovered abalone in 1994, peaking in 2007 at 907899, and then showing a huge decline last year to 56106. This is perhaps an indication the ban on abalone fishing is working simply because anyone found in possession of abalone will have to have got them illegally.

The value of the abalone retrieved since 2003 is R240m.

Sonjica said that all confiscated abalone was processed to a dried product and sold through the processor appointed by the department.

News items on this page are from external sources and the International Rhino Foundation cannot be held responsible for the authenticity of their content, nor for the continuing presence of original links.

1-Jul-09 2:00 PM

Rear View Shows Rhino's Way Forward

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:00:00 GMT

KUALA LUMPUR: It is not a flattering photograph but it is a cause for celebration.

A blurry snapshot of a Sumatran rhinoceros' leathery rear taken last month is "a good sign" for the near-extinct species.

"These images and the ones captured in 2006 show that these animals can survive in sustainably-managed forests," said World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Borneo Species Programme senior manager Raymond Alfred yesterday.

The double images were captured by camera traps set up in primary forests in central Sabah, which are part of the 'Heart of Borneo' conservation initiative by Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia.

"At first, my team thought it was only a photograph of wild boar. But looking closer, we saw the distinct shape of the rhino's tail and bottom. We were so happy!" he said.

The images, believed to be of a 20-year-old female rhinoceros, are the first for this year. Similar images were captured in 2006 and last year of different rhinos.

"The future of rhinos in Borneo now depends on how seriously the forest reserves can be managed sustainably with effective monitoring carried out."

Alfred estimated there were at least 30 rhinos and two calves in Sabah alone.

"There are other signs such as footprints, wallowing holes, scat and urine stains."

He said there were plans to add 30 more camera traps by year-end.

The enforcement and survey work in this area is supported by Honda Malaysia. WWF is working with the Sabah Forestry Department to look into sustainably managing Forest Management Units.

"Our survey shows that the home range of the rhinos is also affected by oil palm expansion near the eastern coastline of Sabah," he said.

Alfred said the rhinos' key habitat in this forest may still or could be connected; especially between the Tabin Wildlife Reserve and Lower Kinabatangan River region.

He urged oil palm companies, whose lands border swamp-mangrove forest, to restore the corridor and address illegal encroachment to ensure rhinos' survival in Sabah.

1-Jul-09 1:00 PM

WWF Urges Action to Protect Borneo Rhino's Habitat

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:00:00 GMT

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) — The future of one of the world's rarest animals, the Borneo rhino, depends on action taken to protect the forest reserves where it lives, conservation group WWF said Wednesday.

Malaysian wildlife officials say that only 30 Borneo rhino remain in the wilderness of Sabah state, on Malaysia's side of Borneo, the island which it shares with Indonesia.

"The future of rhinos in Borneo now depends on how seriously the forest reserves can be managed sustainably," Raymond Alfred, senior manager of WWF-Malaysia's Borneo Species Programme said in a statement.

Alfred's comments came after his team captured a rare image of the near-extinct animal, a female believed to be about 20 years old.

WWF said that the image, along with the identification of two rhino calves, added weight to the need to manage the species' forest home sustainably.

Alfred urged forestry and wildlife authorities in Sabah, and the police, to adopt "strong and co-ordinated enforcement to ensure the survival" of the species.

WWF said the rhinos' range was being affected by the expansion of oil palm plantations, and called for action to protect its habitat from fragmentation.

The Borneo sub-species is the rarest of all rhinos, distinguished from other Sumatran rhinos by its relatively small size, small teeth and distinctively shaped head.

The Sumatran rhinoceros is one of the world's most endangered species with few left on Indonesia's Sumatra island, Sabah and peninsular Malaysia.

News items on this page are from external sources and the International Rhino Foundation cannot be held responsible for the authenticity of their content, nor for the continuing presence of original links.

1-Jul-09 1:00 PM

Uganda: Baby Rhino in Good Health, Say Officials

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:00:00 GMT

Kampala — THE five-day-old baby rhino at Nakitoma in Nakasongola district is playful and adorable, the sanctuary managers have said.

"The mother is still too protective, but the baby is extremely playful," said Angie Genade, the executive director of the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.

Nandi, the 10-year-old mother, was aggressive towards the intrusion of wildlife officials and journalists who rushed to the sanctuary after The New Vision broke the story of the birth of the rhino on Monday.

After tracking the seven rhinos for two hours, journalists took positions on tree tops to see the baby.

It took photographers about three hours before they could capture the baby, whose mother was hidden in thickets.

After suckling, the baby kept on moving a few metres away from Nandi.

The sanctuary managers have not established the gender of the baby, but two names, Obama or Michelle, are being proposed.

They say the rhinos at the sanctuary have historical ties with the two names.

While Nandi is one of the two southern white rhinos donated by the Disney Animal Kingdom in the US in 2006, the father of the baby originated from Kenya.

Obama, the first black US president, has an ancestral home in Kenya.

The rhinos are popular with tourists. Some of the proceeds from the fees charged are used for community development.

Genade said there is likely to be a baby boom in the near future. The sanctuary is expecting 12 southern white rhinos from South Africa in November and East African black rhinos from Kenya.

Rhinos are globally endangered because of their valuable horns which are mostly exported to Asia where they are used to make ceremonial dagger handles and traditional medicine.

In Uganda, the last northern white rhino was last seen in 1982 in the Murchison Falls National Park and the last black rhino was seen in the Kidepo park in 1983.

Conservationists formed the Rhino Fund Uganda to bring back the rhinos.

News items on this page are from external sources and the International Rhino Foundation cannot be held responsible for the authenticity of their content, nor for the continuing presence of original links.

30-Jun-09 1:00 PM

Sime Darby Foundation Plans Rhino Sanctuary In Sabah

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:00:00 GMT

LAHAD DATU, June 30 (Bernama) -- The Sime Darby Foundation (SDF) and Sabah government will set up a sanctuary in the Tabin Forest Reserve for sumatran rhinos to protect the wildlife from extinction.

A 4,500-hectare area will be allocated for the project with the cost of providing the infrastructure including a fence around it being funded by SDF.

An agreement on the cooperation was signed at Tabin Wildlife Resort, about 48 kilometres from here, between the foundation and the state government Tuesday.

YSD was represented by its chairman Tun Musa Hitam while Sabah by State Wildlife Department Director Datuk Lawrentius Ambu. Present was Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun.

"We are providing RM7.3 million including RM5 million for the infrastructure in 4,500-hectare area to keep all sumatran rhinos found," Musa said.

He said the plan to create the sanctuary was part of Sime Darby's "Big 9" campaign to protect nine endangered wild animals, namely sun bear, orang utan, pygmy elephant, bornean clouded leopard, sumatran rhino, malayan tiger, monyet belanda (long-nosed monkey), hornbill and banteng (species of wild cattle).

Masidi said that project would hopefully help sumatran rhino to breed since there was a fear that it would become extinct if no effective action was taken.

Based on studies, no sumatran rhino calf had been found over the past four to eight years and one was the reasons was that adult rhinos live in solitude.

"Our hope is to build a wildlife centre specially for rhinos and put the animal caught in the wild in the sanctuary. Hopefully, the meeting of rhinos will help them mate and breed," he said.

According to statistics, 13 sumatran rhinos have been detected in Danum Valley and another 15 in the Tabin Forest Reserve.

News items on this page are from external sources and the International Rhino Foundation cannot be held responsible for the authenticity of their content, nor for the continuing presence of original links.

30-Jun-09 8:00 AM

Poachers Now Target Endangered Black Rhino

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:00:00 GMT

Suspected poachers have killed a Rhino inside Maasai Mara Game Reserve.

The killing took place at Ngama area inside the park on Tuesday.

It is the first time a black rhino, which is listed among endangered species, has been killed inside the protected area.

Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) senior warden in charge of Narok Tuqa Jirmo said the death of the rhino whose horns were removed by the poachers was unnatural.

Mr Jirmo said poaching of rhinos and elephants inside and out of the reserve had in the last three months gone up.

He said: "The trend in Mara and elsewhere in the country shows poaching of rhinos and elephants has gone up and if nothing is going to be done, their population will dwindle".

Security personnel cordoned off the area and it was not immediately established whether the poachers killed the rhino using a gun.

The incident happened despite the presence of a well-funded Rhino Surveillance Unit in the reserve.

In the 1980s when poaching was rampant, the population of rhinos and elephants in the country went down from about 3,000 to below 400 for rhinos while elephant dwindled from 150,000 to 15,000.

Intelligence team

Population of black rhinos in Mara has now gone down from 38 to 37.

Siana Wildlife Conservation Trust manager Samuel Nkoitoi said poaching activities in Mara bode ill for conservation efforts, adding surveillance efforts need to be enhanced.

Tuqa added that due to the proximity to Tanzania and the vastness of the area, the poachers could have crossed the common border to kill the rhino.

He said investigations into the incident by a team of KWS and county council officials have been launched.

Elsewhere, KWS officers have arrested three suspected poachers and recovered five tusks as the war against poaching activities in Tsavo National Park intensified.

The intelligence team intercepted the poachers with ivory weighing 29kg at Kone in northern part of the park.

KWS said the arrest brings to 10 the number of poachers so far arrested and four elephants killed in the park in the past one month.

30-Jun-09 8:00 AM

Rhino Horn and Ivory Grabbed in Addo Heist

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:00:00 GMT

RHINO horn and ivory worth an estimated R850000 was stolen in a dramatic heist at the Addo Elephant National Park.

Five armed men who hit the famous tourist destination also made off with five R1 assault rifles and four cars belonging to the park‘s staff members.

Provincial police spokesman Captain Ernest Sigobe said the men arrived at Addo‘s main entrance after 5pm on Wednesday and tied up the security guard on duty after holding him up at gunpoint.

“Four went inside while one remained (with) the security guard. Inside the administrative building they held staff at gunpoint and (took) 10,3 kilograms of rhino horn, ivory and five R1 rifles,” Sigobe said.

The robbers then drove off in fours cars belonging to staff members. “They abandoned three of them along the road just outside Addo. No shots were fired and no one was hurt.

“No arrests have been made, but police are investigating a case of armed robbery.”

Addo spokesman Megan Taplin refused to comment. There is a lucrative black market for both ivory and rhino horn. Two rhinos have been killed in the Eastern Cape in the past six months.

Yusuf Jeeva, of Kwantu Game Reserve, who lost a rhino through poaching in December, said: “We are very concerned about poaching in game parks.

We have tightened up our security and are taking great care of our rhinos as they are an endangered species.”

A rhino was also poached at Shamwari Game Reserve in December but the thieves failed to make off with the horn. The slaying was believed to be the work of a national syndicate which has slaughtered more than 40 rhinos in the past two years in the Kruger National Park and KwaZulu Natal and Limpopo reserves.

Sigobe said that at this stage there were no suspicions the Addo robbery could be linked to the syndicate.

Most harvested rhino horns are smuggled to the Far East.

29-Jun-09 3:00 PM

First Baby Ugandan Rhino in Decades Raises Hopes for Future

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:00:00 GMT

Kampala - The first baby rhino to be born in Uganda for decades has raised hopes for the future of an animal that was wiped out during the bloody regime of former dictator Idi Amin, officials said Monday. A 10-year-old female Rhino called "Nandi" - one of four donated to Uganda by the Disney Animal Kingdom - gave birth last week, the state-run New Vision newspaper quoted officials as saying.

"The calf is three days old, but the mother is too protective," Angie Genade, the executive director of Rhino Fund Uganda, said. "So, it is difficult to get close to them to establish its gender."

Rhinos were eliminated from the East African country soon after Amin assumed power in a 1971 military coup.

The dictator and his henchmen had no respect for wildlife. Military officers and poachers rampaged through the national parks, killing the animals with impunity.

The government and several conservation groups have begun a program of restocking the rhino population.

Some eight animals, imported from the United States and neighbouring Kenya, are kept at a breeding sanctuary in central Uganda.

South Africa's Sun Park has donated an additional 12 rhinos to help bolster the population in Uganda. Those animals are expected in the country late this year, government officials said.

Ecologists from the state-run Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) believe that rhino numbers are now likely to recover.

"Definitely we expect the numbers to increase," UWA operations director Sam Mwandha told the German Press Agency dpa. "First, those we have have started giving birth ... and we have a program of importing them."

News items on this page are from external sources and the International Rhino Foundation cannot be held responsible for the authenticity of their content, nor for the continuing presence of original links.

29-Jun-09 1:00 PM

Collar Bands Used in Tracking Rhinos

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 19:00:00 GMT

RHINO poaching has declined significantly in different parts of the country following a massive awareness campaign and recent joint operations by the country’s security forces.

Environment and Natural Resources Management Minister Cde Francis Nhema said the intensive awareness campaigns had been held in communities surrounding national parks.

"We are seeing a decline in cases of rhino poaching after we held massive campaigns in these communities educating them about the value of the animals and their importance to the economy.

"After our operations with the police and army, we are making a lot of difference in these parks and our security forces on the ground have been assisting us to flush out poachers.

The killing of at least 70 rhinos in the past 12 months by well coordinated poaching syndicates around the world has placed the country on the agenda of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) meeting to be held next year.

Since January this year, at least ten poachers have been shot dead and several arrested after trying to kill and de-horn rhinos around the country.

Areas that have been targeted by rhino poachers are Lake Chivero, the Midlands, Hwange and the south eastern Lowveld which has a long and porous border with Mozambique.

Cde Nhema said the availability of resources had also enhanced operations leading to successful anti-poaching activities.

"We now have sufficient equipment and resources to carry out our operations in rhino areas and this has assisted us in nabbing the poachers.

"Our rhinos now have collar bands and we can easily track them within a given radius. Therefore, the monitoring of the animals has become easier," he said.

He added that the Government had also started de-horning the rhinos to reduce their value to poachers.

However, but the process has to be repeated because the horns sprout after a given period.

A programme has also been launched to relocate rhinos to safe conservancies near towns to reduce poaching operations.

28-Jun-09 2:00 PM

Villagers vow to protect fence - Bid to check straying of animals in Manas

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 19:00:00 GMT

Guwahati, June 27: The residents of 12 villages in Manas have pledged to guard an 8km stretch of solar-powered electric fence from Madulijhar to Katajhar in the Bansbari range of the national park to stop straying of animals into human habitat.

A decision to erect the fence was taken last year when a translocated rhino strayed away, giving forest officials a tough time to track it down.

The villagers’ decision to guard the stretch, the most vulnerable one, aims at easing the forest department’s task to protect the fence.

A forest official said the villagers would be benefited too. Solar-powered electric fencing along the stretch — where agriculture is the principal source of livelihood — will check destruction of crops by rhinos, elephants and wild buffaloes that stray into human habitat and lead to man-animal conflicts.

“There is not much scope for employment in these areas and agriculture is an important source of livelihood,” the official said.

Equipment supplied by Suraksha, a Bangalore-based firm, reached yesterday and work will start soon.

Funds are being provided by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), International Rhino Foundation under the India Rhino Vision 2020 programme and the National Tiger Conservation Authority.

“A lot depends on the weather. If everything goes right, fencing should be completed in a month.”

The official said several meetings had been held with villagers who agreed to protect the stretch as their “own property”. He said community participation was high.

There was also a lot of community support when the translocated rhino had strayed out. Many villages joined the hunt to help the forest authorities bring it back. The World Heritage Committee under Unesco has appreciated their contribution.

28-Jun-09 2:00 PM

EXPERTS SAY ZIMBABWE RHINO IN STATE OF CRISIS

noemail@rhinos-irf.org — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 17:00:00 GMT

Yulee, FL; Zimbabwe; London – Leading rhino conservation experts, The International Rhino Foundation (IRF) and Save the Rhino, today called the rhino poaching situation in Zimbabwe an immediate crisis with long-term consequences and called for concerted action by the government of Zimbabwe and international agencies that are mandated to tackle poaching of endangered species and to regulate trade in wildlife products. In a conference call held with reporters from across the globe, the IRF and Save the Rhino said continued inaction undermines the country’s economic recovery because rhino poaching is threatening one of the key economic pillars for Zimbabwe -- ecotourism. Zimbabwe’s economic crisis is serious, but now Zimbabwe is in danger of losing its biological currency – rhinos and other wildlife, said Dr. Susie Ellis, Executive Director of the IRF, which funds anti-poaching patrols in five countries. This high-value biological currency could be a key factor in turning...

Media Alert: EXPERTS SAY ZIMBABWE RHINO IN STATE OF CRISIS

noemail@rhinos-irf.org — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 21:00:00 GMT

Yulee, FL; Zimbabwe; London – The world’s leading rhino experts are issuing an immediate call to action to save the critically endangered black rhinos. A conference call with leaders on three continents will be held this week to discuss the crisis caused by a doubling of poaching incidents in Zimbabwe. On Thursday, leaders of the International Rhino Foundation (IRF) and Save the Rhino will hold a conference call with reporters to discuss the long-term consequences of continued inaction and to call on leaders to take action now. Ecotourism has long been one of the key economic pillars for Zimbabwe and poaching is threatening Zimbabwe’s biological currency – rhinos and other wildlife. Participating in the call will be Dr. Susie Ellis, Executive Director of the International Rhino Foundation, which funds anti-poaching patrols in five countries, Cathy Dean, Executive Director of Save the Rhino, the London-based organization which supports on-going rhino conservation through...

RHINOS IN FOCUS 2009

noemail@rhinos-irf.org — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 02:00:00 GMT

Yulee, Florida -- Rhinos have walked the Earth for more than 50 million years. Today, all but one of the world’s five rhino species face extinction within the next 10 to 50 years. To help raise awareness about rhinos and their plight, the International Rhino Foundation invites photography enthusiasts of all skill levels to enter RHINOS IN FOCUS, the 2009 IRF Photography Contest. Winners will be chosen from three categories and will receive prizes as well as recognition on the IRF website and in other publications. The GRAND PRIZE winning photo will be featured in IRF’s 2008 Annual Report. Participants are invited to enter a digital photo in one of three categories on Flickr (www.Flickr.com) between February 1, 2009 and February 28, 2009. 1. Rhinos in Zoos 2. Rhinos in the Wild 3. Express Your Inner Rhino (be creative!) IRF’s panel of judges will select 10 finalists from each category by March 14, 2009, and then the public gets to choose the winners! Vote...

Rise and Shine with the Rhinos

noemail@rhinos-irf.org — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:00:00 GMT

Yulee, Fla -- Looking for the perfect holiday gift for those special someones who have everything and still want to save the world? How about a four-day safari with five of your favorite folks to experience some of the world’s most endangered species up close? And, you don’t even need to dust off your passport! The International Rhino Foundation, which made international ‘bizarre holiday gift’ news last year by auctioning rhino poop on eBay, has toned it down this year, but beefed up the offerings: This year they’re offering a rare animal encounter for conservationists and animal lovers. In a special pre-holiday auction, the International Rhino Foundation will award the top bidder a one-of-a-kind Rhino Rendezvous for six people. The winning bidder will have a rare opportunity to spend four days at IRF’s headquarters at White Oak Conservation Center, just north of Jacksonville, Fla. Rhino Rendezvous includes ground transportation, meals, exceptional accommodations,...

Poachers Walk Free as Assault on Zimbabwe Rhinos Escalates

noemail@rhinos-irf.org — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 14:00:00 GMT

Harare, Zimbabwe – A breakdown in law enforcement against rhino poaching and horn smuggling in Zimbabwe is threatening the success of more than a decade's work bringing rhino populations back up to healthy levels. Typical of the problem is the recent release of a gang of four Zimbabwean rhino poachers who admitted to killing 18 rhinos in five different areas of central Zimbabwe, including a semi-tame group of black rhinos slaughtered in their pens at Imire Safari Ranch. The poachers, also alleged to have been involved in a number of armed robberies and arrested with several illegal firearms, were initially denied bail and it was reported that the four had received lengthy jail sentences. However, WWF was recently informed by authorities that the poachers were subsequently granted bail, were freed and immediately absconded. Rhino poaching has been increasing throughout Zimbabwe including in the Lowveld Conservancies in southern Zimbabwe, home to three quarters of the country's...

CBS joins with International Rhino Foundation

noemail@rhinos-irf.org — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 16:00:00 GMT

Cardboard Safari has joined with the International Rhino Foundation, an organization that is dedicated to the survival of the world’s rhino species through conservation and research, to spread awareness about the plight of the rhino. Rhinos have existed on Earth for more than 50 million years. In the past, rhinos were much more diverse and widespread (occurring in North America and Europe as well as in Africa and Asia). Today, only five species of rhinos survive. All rhinos are under threat of extinction, and all but one species is on the verge of extinction. Without drastic action, some rhinos could be extinct in the wild within the next 10-20 years. Cardboard Safari offers premium-quality animal figures made of recycled cardboard. Rhino, Deer, Moose and Bison heads are currently available in both brown and white cardboard. Each animal puzzle is laser-cut for precision fit, easily assembles using slotted construction and is made to mount on the wall. When owner Chris Jesse...

World's rarest rhinos make first video trap appearance - then toss camera

noemail@rhinos-irf.org — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 21:00:00 GMT

JAKARTA--After just a month in operation, specially designed video cameras installed to capture rhino footage in the jungles of Indonesia have twice recorded remarkable images of the world's rarest rhino accompanied by a calf. But the success was not without incident as after a short inspection, one rhino mother charged the camera and sent it flying on one of the occasions in Ujung Kulon National Park in Java, Indonesia. Javan rhinos occur only in that park and one in Vietnam. With fewer than 60 Javan rhinos left in the wild, we believe this footage was well worth the risk to our equipment, said Adhi Rachmat Hariyadi, who leads WWF-Indonesia's project in Ujung Kulon National Park. It’s very unusual to catch a glimpse of the Javan rhinos deep inside the rain forest. The motion triggered infrared video traps are a useful way to observe them and the ways they use their habitat in a more detailed way. We are proposing a test translocation of a few Javan rhinos in the near future...

First-ever rhino translocation in northeast India a success

noemail@rhinos-irf.org — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 20:00:00 GMT

Washington: In one of the biggest conservation successes in India, two male adult Indian rhinos (Rhinoceros unicornis) were successfully translocated to Manas National Park on Saturday. This is the first time that the translocation of wild rhinos has been conducted in the state of Assam, where nearly all of India’s rhinos are found. The two rhinos were moved from Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, which has the highest density of rhinos in the world - more than 80 rhinos in less than 7 square miles of rhino habitat. For the next several years, the healthy rhino populations in Pobitora and Kaziranga National Park will supply individuals to start new populations in other protected areas in Assam under Indian Rhino Vision 2020. Translocations form the backbone of Indian Rhino Vision 2020 – a joint project of the Government of Assam, WWF-India, the International Rhino Foundation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – that aims to attain a population of 3000 wild rhinos spread across...

International Rhino Foundation Offers Rhino Adoptions for Valentine's Day

noemail@rhinos-irf.org — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 16:00:00 GMT

NEWS International Rhino Foundation Offers Rhino Adoptions for Valentine’s Day Spread the love this Valentine’s Day by giving your sweetheart one of the rarest animals on earth! YULEE, FL – Flowers wilt, and that box of chocolates just could go straight to your hips! So the International Rhino Foundation is offering gift givers the opportunity to do something different for their nearest and dearest this Valentine’s Day – adopting a Critically Endangered Sumatran rhino. The Sumatran rhino, also called the hairy rhino because of its hairy body and tufted ears, is the most endangered of all rhinoceros species because of its rapid rate of decline. Because of poaching, numbers have decreased more than 50% over the last 15 years. Fewer than 275 Sumatran rhinos survive in very small and highly fragmented populations in Southeast Asia, making it one of the rarest large mammals in the world. The International Rhino Foundation helps to support the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary, a...

INTERNATIONAL RHINO FOUNDATION LAUNCHES A NEW

noemail@rhinos-irf.org — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 01:00:00 GMT

NEWS International Rhino Foundation launches a new and improved web site Visit the newly redesigned website for the IRF and your ultimate source for information on rhinos and rhino conservation. YULEE, FL – The International Rhino Foundation has a new website – one that you’ll want to visit again and again! Launching on Thursday, November 29, 2007 – visitors will find an updated look for their source of all things rhino on the net. Featuring video and photo galleries and a web 2.0 guide, site visitors will find a myriad of ways to stay connected to IRF’s rhino conservation efforts. The homepage features the newly redesigned IRF logo and new organization branding. One other feature of note is the scrolling rhino news articles module – giving readers the latest headlines on rhinos from around the world. Readers can learn everything they ever wanted to know about rhinos, including their status in the wild, and how IRF programs programs in Asia and Africa help the rhino...

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:45:55 GMT

Zimbabwe’s black rhino population was nearly wiped out by large-scale, organized poaching in the 1980s, before making a remarkable recovery thanks to intense anti-poaching efforts. The country is now home to the fourth largest population of black rhinos in the world, but these rhinos are once again being poached relentlessly. Zimbabwe is one of the poorest and most unstable countries in the world. And due to the continuously deteriorating political and economic situation in Zimbabwe, there has been a dramatic upsurge in wildlife poaching. To help raise awareness about the dire threats facing Zimbabwe’s rhinos, IRF is launching a new communications effort. Please continue to visit this page and IRF’s blog for weekly updates from our field staff and partners in Zimbabwe. You’ll learn more about their struggles and successes working to rescue rhinos, treat injuries and orphans, and catch poachers. For media representatives, please visit our Crisis Zimbabwe...

Rhino Resource Center

Fri, 29 May 2009 19:19:53 GMT

The Rhino Resource Center is the world’s best source of information about rhino conservation, research, veterinary medicine, and husbandry worldwide. The Rhino Resource Center collects all known publications and maintains archives on all published work on rhinoceros. Search the Rhino Resource Center for everything you ever wanted to know about rhinos - information, photos, and links to other rhino websites!

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Projects in the Field

Wed, 27 May 2009 02:47:55 GMT

Rhino Conservation Medicine Program

The Rhino Conservation Medicine Program, a unique collaboration between the International Rhino Foundation, Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, and the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, provides high-level veterinary medical support for global rhino conservation efforts both in the wild and in captivity.

The Rhino Conservation Medicine Program has three fundamental objectives: 1) to provide health care service for global rhino conservation programs in Asia and Africa; 2) to provide unique training and educational opportunities for American and Indonesian veterinary students focused on rhino treatment and research; and 3) to educate local children and communities about the importance of protecting rhinos.

Are you looking for a way to make a difference?

Thu, 14 May 2009 18:06:09 GMT

The International Rhino Foundation is working around the world to protect rhinos, but there’s so much each of us can do right at home, too – every day – to make a difference. Learn more about how people just like you have hosted fundraising events to raise awareness and money for rhino conservation and help IRF to save rhinos from extinction! Bake Sale. The students in Mrs. Slavick's class at Cook Elementary School in Goshen, Ohio decided to make a difference! The students learned about endangered species and their importance and made a trip to the Cincinnati Zoo to get a closer look at the animals. The students in the class then decorated cookies and cupcakes that were sold at a bake sale to raise money for rhino conservation. Change Drive. Several years ago, Loretta Platt, a third grade teacher at Como Elementary School from Columbus, Ohio, was looking for a school-wide project to heighten the students' environmental awareness. She decided on a penny collection as a...

Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary, Indonesia

Wed, 06 May 2009 14:29:27 GMT

The Sumatran rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) is the most threatened of the five living rhino species. Only about 250 individuals survive in small, highly fragmented populations in Indonesia and Malaysia, and the population is suffering rapid declines due to poaching and habitat loss. Because of the challenges and uncertainties of conserving this Critically Endangered species in range countries with rapidly changing and often volatile political climates, in 1984 the World Conservation Union’s Asian Rhino Specialist Group recommended developing a captive breeding program as part of a larger population management strategy for the Sumatran rhino. Torgamba and Bina, two of the rhinos at the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary in Way Kambas, breeding. Rhino experts agreed that successful reproduction would require sufficiently natural conditions and large enclosures. In the early 1990s, managed breeding centers (known as sanctuaries) were developed in native...

Adopt a Rhino

Wed, 06 May 2009 14:28:00 GMT

The Sumatran rhinoceros is one of the most endangered mammals on Earth. No more than 200 animals survive in small, isolated forest fragments in Indonesia and Malaysia. You can help to protect the Sumatran rhino from extinction by adopting a rhino at the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary! The Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary (SRS), a 250-acre complex located within Way Kambas National Park in Sumatra, Indonesia, is currently home to five rhinos that are part of an intensively managed research and breeding program aimed at increasing the Sumatran rhino population in the wild. At the sanctuary, the rhinos reside in large, open areas where they can experience a natural rainforest habitat while still receiving state-of-the-art veterinary care and nutrition. You may choose to adopt any of the five rhinos at the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary for as many days as you would like, either in your own name, or as a gift for a relative or friend who supports wildlife conservation! In honor of each adoption,...

Crisis Zimbabwe Media Kit Downloads and Photo Gallery

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 14:23:00 GMT

Zimbabwe is home to the fourth largest population of black rhinos in the world – and the country’s population is in severe danger due to poaching for their horn. In 2008, Zimbabwe’s black rhino (Diceros bicornis) population numbered 490 individuals. The black rhino is classified as Critically Endangered, with a worldwide population of only 4,240. During the last century, the black rhino has suffered the most drastic decline in total numbers of all rhino species. Between 1970 and 1992, the population of this species decreased by 96%. In 1970, there were approximately 65,000 black rhinos in Africa – but, by 1993, only 2,300 survived in the wild. Since 1996, thanks to intensive anti-poaching efforts overall numbers are recovering and still are slowly increasing. The growing purchasing power of many Asian countries, combined with organized gangs of poachers who have an outlet for selling rhino horn on has kept the poaching threat great. To save the species, anti-poaching efforts...

Help Us Save Zimbabwe's Rhinos!

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 21:34:22 GMT

Just after dawn on February 16th, Sinikwe, a black rhino cow, and her 16-month-old calf were ambushed by poachers in the thick brush. Sinikwe escaped with gunshot wounds. Her calf was shot and killed – its horn hacked off with an axe minutes after its death. Weeks later, a rhino monitoring unit that is checking on Sinikwe’s recovery sees that she is still returning regularly to her calf’s carcass. The poachers also know of her unwillingness to abandon her calf. Their footprints have been seen recently, following hers from the dead calf. Rhino poaching in Zimbabwe has doubled in the past year. Zimbabwe is home to the fourth largest population of Critically Endangered black rhinos in the world. Eighty-eight of the country’s nearly 800 rhinos – more than ten percent of the population – were brutally killed by organized gangs of poachers in 2008, just for their horn. Actual losses are likely higher – these are only the documented poaching incidents. The slaughter has continued unabated...

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Wed, 15 Apr 2009 21:26:02 GMT

Media Kit & Downloads

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 13:20:27 GMT

Thank you for your interest in the International Rhino Foundation. Use the links below to download our media kit (in PDF format). Crisis Zimbabwe: Media Kit - April, 2009 Zimbabwe is home to the fourth largest population of black rhinos in the world – and the country’s population is in severe danger due to poaching for their horn. In 2008, Zimbabwe’s black rhino (Diceros bicornis) population numbered 490 individuals. The black rhino is classified as Critically Endangered, with a worldwide population of only 4,240. During the last century, the black rhino has suffered the most drastic decline in total numbers of all rhino species. Between 1970 and 1992, the population of this species decreased by 96%. In 1970, there were approximately 65,000 black rhinos in Africa – but, by 1993, only 2,300 survived in the wild. Since 1996, thanks to intensive anti-poaching efforts overall numbers are recovering and still are slowly increasing. . The growing purchasing power of many...

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noemail@rhinos-irf.org — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 14:51:57 GMT

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Release Date: 31-Aug-07 9:51 AM
Expiration Date: 30-Nov-07 9:51 AM

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Carla's Crate

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:27:44 GMT

Carla’s crate is carefully loaded onto a truck for transport.

Diniwe's New Calf

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:27:44 GMT

It’s not always bad news. When rhino monitors had not seen Diniwe for some time, they feared she had been poached, and conducted an exhaustive search. They finally found her laying low with a new calf!

Umlali - poached

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:27:44 GMT

Umlali had previously been caught twice in poachers’ snares, but both times, staff from the Lowveld Rhino Trust were able to operate and save her life. This time though, the poachers shot and killed Umlali.

Translocation

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:27:44 GMT

The Lowveld Rhino Trust translocates rhinos living in areas with high poaching-risk to safer areas.

The Gang

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:27:44 GMT

Blondie, Millie and Sassy, three young black rhino orphans, exploring their boma. When the three are old enough, they will be released back into the wild.

Rhino Horns

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:27:44 GMT

Responding to a report of shots fired, rhino rangers tracked a group of poachers who had fatally shot a bull and calf, wounded the calf’s mother, and most likely killed another female as well. The poachers were after the rhinos’ horns, which can fetch thousands of dollars per kilogram on the black market. This time, the rangers reached the dead rhinos first and confiscated the horns, but unfortunately they were too late to save the rhinos.

Horn removal

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:27:44 GMT

The Lowveld Rhino Trust is increasingly removing rhinos’ horns to reduce the incentive for poachers to target them. This rhino is also having it’s ears notched so that rangers can identify and monitor it.

Express delivery

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:27:44 GMT

An express delivery – rhino calves are sometimes translocated by helicopter, rather than truck, to reduce the amount of time they have to be immobilized.

Carla soon after poaching

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:27:44 GMT

This young rhino, called “Carla”, was shot and cut with an axe by poachers. Her mother was murdered, and she was too young to survive on her own. Luckily she was rescued, treated, and nursed back to health by the Style family.

Carla prior to transport

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:27:44 GMT

Once she was old enough, Carla was immobilized and translocated to one Zimbabwe’s lowveld conservancies, where she could live in a large, enclosed boma within the conservancy.

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