PROJECT: A NEW HOPE FOR RHINOS – THE RHINO REWILD PROJECT

Isabel Spies
Sep 22
6 min read

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The rhino poaching crisis is not a simple issue of hunting; it is a brutal, industrialised slaughter driven by greed

and a highly organised black market fuelled by myths and status. It is a war fought in the bush and on the dark web,

and the rhinos are losing.

The core of the problem is the demand for rhino horn, predominantly in parts of Asia, particularly Vietnam and China.

It is peddled as a cure-all in traditional medicine—a remedy for everything from hangovers and fevers to cancer.

This is a cold, hard lie.

Rhino horn is made of keratin, the same substance as human hair and fingernails.

Consuming it is about as effective as chewing your own nails. But the demand persists, and as a status symbol,

a show of extreme wealth, it can fetch a price higher than gold or cocaine.

The fresher the rhino horns, the higher the value.
This insatiable demand has given rise to sophisticated, transnational criminal syndicates.
These are hungry locals with a rifle; they are highly organised networks with deep pockets and global reach.
They use advanced equipment—night vision, tranquilliser darts, and even helicopters—to track and kill rhinos.
The methods are savage.
A tranquilliser dart may be used to incapacitate the animal, but the horn is often hacked off while the rhino is still alive and conscious, leaving it to bleed to death in agony.
The sheer violence of the act is difficult to comprehend.
A mother rhino can be killed, leaving her calf to watch the horrific scene and then die from starvation or become an easy target for predators.

The numbers are grim.
The latest statistics for 1 January to 30 June 2025 indicate that 195 rhinos were poached.
Encouragingly, June 2025 had the lowest number, with 22 rhinos poached.
Moreover, four provinces—the Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Northern Cape, and Gauteng—had zero poaching incidents during this period.
For years, however, more than 1,000 rhinos were killed annually in South Africa, which holds the majority of the world's rhinos.
In 2023, 499 rhinos were killed in South Africa.
While that is a decrease from the peak of over 1,200 in 2014, it still means one rhino is poached every 15 hours.
The decline in poaching numbers does not tell the full story; it is often a direct reflection of a decline in the rhino population itself, as there are simply fewer rhinos left to kill.
The poaching crisis has pushed the rhino species to the very brink of extinction.
The northern white rhino is functionally extinct, with only two females left on the planet.
The Javan rhino population has been decimated by poaching, with as many as 26 individuals killed in recent years.

This is a crisis of corruption, violence, and utter disregard for life.

The front-line defence, the dedicated rangers and conservationists, are in a constant, brutal battle against a well-funded enemy. They risk their lives daily in what feels like a losing war, fighting to protect these magnificent creatures

from being reduced to a pile of powder for a lie.

THE RHINO REWILD PROJECT

In the face of this relentless violence, a new strategic and monumental initiative offers a beacon of hope: the Rhino Rewild project.
Led by the conservation organisation African Parks, this ambitious plan was born from a crisis.
After the world's largest private rhino breeding operation, holding over 2,000 rhinos, failed to find a buyer and faced the risk of being dismantled, African Parks stepped in.
They acquired the entire herd with one clear objective: to rewild every single rhino into secure, well-managed protected areas across Africa over the next decade.
This project is a massive undertaking, considered one of the largest continent-wide wildlife translocations in history, with the goal of moving approximately 300 rhinos per year.
The strategy is built on three key pillars: Rescue, Rewild, and Renew.
The initial phase of rescue involved the acquisition of the herd in September 2023, saving what represents about 15% of the world's remaining southern white rhino population.
The ongoing rewilding phase is the physical process of moving the rhinos to new, wild habitats.
Finally, the "Renew" phase focuses on ensuring their long-term survival by establishing secure, thriving ecosystems and engaging local communities as partners in their protection.
Rewilding rhinos is about moving animals; it is about restoring entire ecosystems.
As "mega herbivores," rhinos play a crucial role in shaping landscapes, which in turn benefits biodiversity and aids in carbon sequestration.
The success of this project hinges on robust partnerships—with governments, conservation organisations, and, most importantly, the communities who live near the new rhino habitats.
These collaborations are essential for funding, security, and long-term sustainability of the initiative.

We at Specialised Security Services fully support this vital conservation effort.

The public's involvement in this initiative is not just a gesture; it is an investment in the future of an entire species and the conservation and revival of our planet. We implore you to join the fight, to help turn this brutal truth into a triumphant conservation story and ensure these magnificent creatures reclaim their rightful place in the wild.

To learn more about this monumental project and explore all the ways you can help, including making a donation,

please visit the official Rhino Rewild website:

https://rhinorewild.org/

The sources for this information:

African Parks' Rhino Rewild Initiative:
- For in-depth information about the project, its mission, and its progress, the official website is the primary source.
  - https://rhinorewild.org/
  - https://www.africanparks.org/campaign/rewilding-2000-rhino
Rhino Poaching and Population Statistics:
- The official figures for rhino poaching in South Africa are released by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE).
- For global numbers and trends, the IUCN and International Rhino Foundation are the authoritative sources.
  - DFFE South Africa: https://www.dffe.gov.za/ (Check their media releases and publications for the latest rhino poaching statistics)
  - International Rhino Foundation (IRF): The IRF publishes an annual "State of the Rhino" report, which is a comprehensive overview of rhino populations worldwide. https://rhinos.org/about-rhinos/state-of-the-rhino/
  - IUCN Red List: The IUCN provides the official conservation status for all rhino species. You can search for each species on its website to see the latest assessment. https://www.iucnredlist.org/

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