History of the International Rhino Foundation
During the late 1980s, Zimbabwe’s black rhino populations were decreasing at an alarming rate due to intense, organized poaching. In 1989, a group of concerned individuals and institutions founded the International Black Rhino Foundation to assist in the conservation of black rhinos in Zimbabwe both through efforts in the wild and in zoos. In part, because of the International Black Rhino Foundation’s support, poaching was virtually eliminated and black rhino populations began to stabilize. In most areas throughout the species’ range, black rhino populations now are slowly increasing.
In 1993, in response to the escalating crisis facing all five rhino species, the International Black Rhino Foundation expanded its mission to encompass all five species and changed its name to the International Rhino Foundation (IRF). The IRF focuses on the species most in need of, and most appropriate for, intensive protection and management. IRF works where conservation will have its most significant impact, and when possible, is a catalyst and facilitator, working with like-minded partners. Additionally, the IRF helps to provide linkages between captive and wild populations of rhinos, with the ultimate objective of helping captive populations become truly viable and hence an integral part of conservation strategies for rhinos.
The International Rhino Foundation is governed by a Board of Directors who generously contribute time and financial resources to its efforts. IRF maintains a very small staff. IRF’s lean structure allows more than 85% of its funds to go directly to its field programs in Africa and Asia. The IRF Program Office is based at the White Oak Conservation Center (Florida, USA), a world-reknowned research and conservation center for endangered wildlife.
The International Rhino Foundation is governed by a Board of Directors who generously contribute time and financial resources to its efforts. IRF maintains a very small staff. IRF’s lean structure allows more than 85% of its funds to go directly to its field programs in Africa and Asia. The IRF Program Office is based at the White Oak Conservation Center (Florida, USA), a world-reknowned research and conservation center for endangered wildlife.
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