African Parks acquires 2,000 Southern White Rhinos to rewild and save the species from poaching.
South Africa (05 September 2023) – In an unprecedented move that has sparked hope and excitement in the world of conservation, African Parks, a leading non-governmental organisation dedicated to safeguarding wildlife and ecosystems across Africa, has taken a bold step to rescue and rewild over 2,000 southern white rhinos over the next decade.
This monumental effort aims to secure the future of a species teetering on the brink of endangerment.
The remarkable journey towards this initiative began when African Parks acquired the world’s largest private captive rhino breeding operation, “Platinum Rhino.” Located on a sprawling 7,800-hectare property in the North West province of South Africa, this facility currently houses 2,000 southern white rhinos, representing a significant portion—up to 15%—of the world’s remaining wild population of these majestic creatures.
The fate of these rhinos hung in the balance when, due to financial stress, Platinum Rhino was put up for auction in April 2023.
In a heart-wrenching twist of fate, no bidders came forward, exposing these animals to the dire threats of poaching and fragmentation. However, African Parks, renowned for its expertise in managing protected areas and conducting large-scale wildlife translocations, emerged as a beacon of hope for the imperilled rhinos. The decision to purchase Platinum Rhino was not taken lightly. African Parks, with the full support of the South African Government and bolstered by emergency funding, seized the opportunity to rescue these rhinos from a precarious future. Their unequivocal objective is to rewild these magnificent creatures over the next decade, relocating them to well-managed and secure areas while establishing or supplementing strategic populations.
This ambitious endeavour represents one of the most significant continent-wide rewilding initiatives ever undertaken for any species.
Peter Fearnhead, CEO of African Parks, expressed the organization’s commitment to this noble cause, stating, “African Parks had no intention of being the owner of a captive rhino breeding operation with 2,000 rhinos. However, we fully recognize the moral imperative of finding a solution for these animals so that they can once again play their integral role in fully functioning ecosystems. The scale of this undertaking is simply enormous, and therefore daunting. However, it is equally one of the most exciting and globally strategic conservation opportunities. We will be working with multiple governments, funding partners, and conservation organizations who are committed to making this rewilding vision a reality.”
For more than two decades, African Parks has collaborated with governments and local communities to ensure the preservation of protected areas and their vital ecosystem services.
Ms Barbara Creecy, the South African Minister of Forestry, Fisheries, and Environment, praised the agreement, saying, “Our Government is guided in our approach to conservation by the UN Convention on Biodiversity and our own white paper. In this regard, we are ready to support African Parks and other partners with technical and scientific advice in developing a conservation solution that includes translocating the animals over a period of time to suitable parks and community conservancies in South Africa and on the African continent.”
The southern white rhino, a species under extreme pressure, particularly in South Africa, faces the looming threat of poaching. Historically, rhinos consisted of two subspecies: the southern white and the northern white. Tragically, the northern white is now functionally extinct, with just two non-breeding females in captivity in Kenya. The southern white rhino, on the other hand, saw its numbers plummet to an all-time low of 30 to 40 animals in the 1930s. Through dedicated conservation efforts, their population rebounded to approximately 20,000 individuals by 2012. However, the scourge of poaching, driven by the illegal wildlife trade in rhino horns, has sent their numbers spiralling below 13,000 today.
Dr Mike Knight, Chairman of the IUCN African Rhino Specialist Group, shared the conservation sector’s elation, remarking, “The conservation sector is delighted that African Parks can provide a credible solution for this important population, and a significant lifeline for this Near Threatened species. This acquisition provides the unique opportunity to re-wild these 2,000 white rhino for the benefit of people and rhino conservation in Africa.”
In a world rife with environmental challenges, African Parks’ visionary commitment to rescuing and rewilding 2,000 southern white rhinos shines as a beacon of hope and a testament to the power of collective conservation efforts. This endeavour not only safeguards a remarkable species but also preserves the delicate ecosystems in which they play a crucial role.
As these rhinos take their first steps into the wild over the next decade, they carry with them the promise of a brighter and more sustainable future for all of us who share this planet.
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