An expert says to conserve these important animals in the wild we not only have to tackle the immediate issues of poaching, but also holistically consider other factors that put rhino populations at risk.

The CEO of Shamwari Private Game Reserve, Joe Cloete, says saving Africa’s Rhinos will require a multi-dimensional strategy, where Private Game Reserves and National parks cooperate in anti-poaching efforts and working together with education campaigns.

“Education of the fight against the rhino poachers is very important. This needs to happen at a local level and an international level, especially in the Asian areas where the consumption of the rhino horn is taken,” Cloete said.

He further adds that General Johan Jooste sums it up really well in his book Rhino Wars, where in the Kruger National Park they integrated the anti-poaching efforts of those nearby private game reserves. He added that Jooste understands the need for education campaigns to get surrounding communities onside and challenge the myths that create the demand for rhino horn.

“This in my opinion is a very important approach. This approach has been tried and tested in the Kruger National Park and the approach is being rolled out in various other regions in South Africa,” he further added.

He said that at Shamwari, we cooperate with all the surrounding reserves, including the Addo Elephant National Park, sharing intelligence and expertise. We also do a lot of community work, on the reserve as well as running outreach programmes. The aim of these is to inform the community that a live rhino is an asset that keeps bringing employment and income to the region. One that’s killed for its horn brings little, if any, benefit to surrounding communities.

“Events such as today’s World Rhino Day are such important days, where we can focus our attention on Rhino conservation, and while poaching is an immediate and serious threat, it is not the only one,” he said.

He added that Rhino Day focuses attention on a species under threat, but to conserve these magnificent and important animals in the wild, we not only have to tackle the immediate issues but also holistically consider other factors that put rhino populations at risk.”

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