Save the Rhino

Save the Rhino International (SRI), a UK-based conservation charity, is Europe’s largest single-species rhino charity, in terms of funds raised and grants made, and in terms of profile and positioning. They began fundraising for in situ rhino conservation projects in 1992 and were formally registered as a charity (number 1035072) in 1994. One of SRI's founder patrons was the late author and conservation enthusiast Douglas Adams.

About Save the Rhino

Mission statement

Save the Rhino International works to conserve genetically viable populations of critically endangered rhinoceros species in the wild. Our aim is to increase rhino numbers by providing financial and in-kind support for rhino projects and for community-based initiatives across Africa and Asia. NB:For rhino populations to qualify as being “wild”, three conditions must be satisfied:
*They must be free-ranging within an area large enough to sustain a breeding group
*The area in question must consist of natural rhino habitat
*They must survive by feeding off natural vegetation in the area (ie, without human intervention)

"Genetically viable” populations are generally taken to mean those with a minimum of 20 individuals. In some areas, smaller populations have been known to breed successfully, although it is not know what the impact is on the long-term genetic diversity of such a population.

Aims

*To increase the number of rhinos in genetically viable populations in the wild
*To provide financial and in-kind support for projects focused on all five of the rhinoceros species
*To encourage and enable the sharing of information, experience and skills between rhino projects
*To measure and improve the effectiveness of our grant-making activities

Grant-making activities

The funds SRI raise are used to support projects that address rhino conservation through a number of measures:
*Community conservation programmes that develop sustainable methods by which local communities can creatively manage natural resources
*Environmental education programmes that teach children and adults about the importance of preserving natural resources and address human-wildlife conflict issues
*Anti-poaching and monitoring patrols, which detect and deter poachers and gather information about rhino ranges and numbers
*Translocations, so that rhino from established populations can be reintroduced to former habitats
*Research into the threats to rhino survival and alternatives to the use of rhino horn
*Veterinary work, such as the implanting of transmitters into horns, or removal of snares

Approach

*Pragmatic approach focused on viable populations; SRI are not sentiment-driven
*SRI support the sustainable use of natural resources for the mutual benefit of wildlife, habitat and local communities
*SRI do not create or run their own projects in the field; rather, they find rhino conservation projects that they think are doing a good job, and then fund them
*SRI prefer to work with projects on a long-term basis, rather than making one-off or ad hoc grants
*SRI is a fundraising organisation, not a campaigning one: they do not get involved in political lobbying or petitioning
*SRI believe in the value of partnership working with other in situ and ex situ NGOs and conservation organisations

Trustees and Patrons

Trustees

* Robert Devereux
* Christina Franco (Chair)
* Tom Kenyon-Slaney
* George Stephenson
* Nick Tims
* Adam Wylie

Patrons

* Louise Aspinall
* Laura Bailey
* Nick Baker
* Dina de Angelo
* Fergal Keane
* Francesco Nardelli
* Martina Navratilova
* Julian Ozanne
* Robin Saunders
* Tira Shubart
* James Sunley
* William Todd-Jones

Founder Patrons

Douglas Adams

Douglas Adams developed his deep-seated interest in wildlife conservation during a 1985 visit to Madagascar, which eventually resulted in a book (Last Chance to See) about the plight of species facing extinction, co-authored by zoologist Mark Carwardine. In one of the chapters he and Mark visited Garamba National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, home to the last surviving northern white rhinos. It was when Douglas gave a talk at the Royal Geographic Society about his attempts to catch sight of one of these elusive rhinos by standing on top of a termite mound that Dave Stirling, founding director of SRI, first approached him and asked him to become a patron. Douglas went on to accompany Dave and the rest of the SRI team on their inaugural Rhino Climb Kili expedition; a now yearly event that involves scaling Mount Kilimanjaro - the highest point on the African continent - with one member of the team dressed as a rhino at all times. Douglas took turns to wear the costume along with everybody else, and his enthusiasm for the project helped to motivate SRI to raise £100,000 to go towards community projects in the areas surrounding Kilimanjaro.

Michael Werikhe

Michael Werikhe, fondly known to many as "The Rhino Man," was raised in Mombasa on Kenya's Indian Ocean coast. A lifelong protector of animals, Werikhe walked thousands of miles across several continents on his "Rhino Walks" to educate people around the world about the plight of the rhinoceros.

"Save the Rhinos", the EAZA Rhino Campaign 2005/6

Background

The European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) launched its fifth conservation campaign, "Save the Rhinos, the EAZA Rhino Campaign 2005/6" on 7 September 2005. The official launch took place at the annual EAZA conference in Bath, UK. At the conference, some 500 representatives from more than 100 European member zoos and aquaria met to exchange news and knowledge and to learn about the Save the Rhinos Campaign. During the one-year Campaign period, 128 out of the 292 member institutions of EAZA organise a range of special activities that focus on rhinos to raise public awareness and collect much-needed funds for rhino conservation projects. Through the Save the Rhinos Campaign, supported by Save the Rhino International (SRI), EAZA has two major objectives; firstly to raise international awareness of the threats rhino face and to promote protection of these endangered animals and, secondly, to raise money which will directly support 13 selected rhino conservation projects in the wild in Asia and Africa. Some 125 million people visit zoos and aquaria in Europe annually.

Early results

"Save the Rhinos" ended with an official closing session at the EAZA Annual Conference in Madrid on 4 October 2006. During this closing session, a preliminary fundraising result of €515,842.81 was announced, well exceeding the original target of €350,000. Special awards were handed out to participants that made an exceptional contribution to the education target of the Campaign. Almost all of the grants to the 13 beneficiary projects have been sent out and another eight projects on the waiting list will also beneft. The success of former EAZA Conservation Campaigns have led to an increase in interest of NGOs and zoos outside Europe to support, contribute to, or participate in them. North American zoos, for example, have joined EAZA in the Save the Rhinos Campaign.

External links

* [http://www.rhinoresourcecenter.com/index.php?s=1&act=SF&f=37 Save the Rhino forum] on [http://www.rhinoresourcecenter.com Rhino Resource Center]
* [http://www.savetherhino.org/ Save the Rhino Homepage]
* [http://www.rhinocampaign.net/ EAZA Rhino Campaign website]
* [http://www.eaza.net/ EAZA Homepage]