Expanding White Rhino Conservation Efforts
A major rewilding initiative is helping relocate more southern white rhinos to protected areas, ensuring their future survival.
© Brent Stirton / Getty Images
Rhino Rewild, led by African Parks, is an audacious 10-year plan to rescue and rewild 2,000 rhinos, and renew the wild habitats they require.
African Parks became the owners of the world’s largest captive rhino breeding operation in September 2023. The operation, which had been set up as a commercial venture, was facing financial collapse putting the rhinos at extreme risk of poaching or being sold off as part of a liquidation process, which would have resulted in losing their value to conservation forever.
These animals, which represent 15% of the world’s remaining southern white rhino population, will be translocated over the next decade to well-managed protected areas across the African continent, helping to restore a species and revitalize ecosystems to benefit Africa’s people and its biodiversity. Once returned to protected areas, these rhinos will contribute towards healthy ecosystems, provide nutrient cycling, sequester carbon, and increase tourism revenue for local people as well as the respective governments. The benefits of their rewilding will be immense for Africa and go beyond saving a species. Their return will symbolize conservation success across multiple, large wild landscapes, and will help secure ecosystem functions and biodiversity during the most critical decade for the health of our planet.
“To see another successful translocation come to fruition is a thrilling next chapter in our ongoing partnership with African Parks. We are committed to seeing southern white rhino populations established across Africa to secure the future of this iconic animal.”