Re-wilding 2000 Rhino: A Conservation Milestone Commences with Credit to African Parks
In the heart of South Africa's North West province, a rhino breeding program called Platinum Rhino was, up until recently, home to 2,000 Southern White Rhino, representing 15% of its global population. The 7,800 acres and its rhinos were put up for auction in April of this year by owner John Hume due to no longer being able to afford costs to conserve, protect, and provide supplementary feeding for the animals. After receiving no bids at auction, the unanticipated purchase of ‘Platinum Rhino’ by NGO African Parks is a significant, uplifting, and promising development in the world of rhino conservation.
Beginning three decades ago, John Hume began breeding rhinos in an effort to combat the declining populations of the species in Africa. Stemming from his childhood of being raised on sheep and cattle farms, and combining his business knowledge and passion for wildlife and land, Hume purchased his first wildlife ranch after retiring from his successful career of developing holiday resorts. Starting with his first rhino purchase in 1993, his intensive breeding program has yielded impressive results. With 2,000 rhinos today, Platinum Rhino was the world’s largest captive rhino breeding operation in the world.
However, John Hume's breeding farm has been mired in controversy in the world of conservation. Is it ethical to breed rhinos in captivity? Many argue that keeping such animals in confined spaces is against their natural instincts and well-being, and has the potential to lead to unbeneficial and unnatural characteristic developments including domestication. Unlike other programs, such as sanctuaries and orphanages, the rhinos born on the Platinum Rhino were never released into the wild once grown. Hume believed he could protect the rhinos better than if they were released to the wild. Although his anti-poaching security costs alone were more than $150,000 USD a year, these measures yielded positive results as Hume had not lost a rhino since 2017.
As Hume did not look to tourism for income, he relied on life savings and donations. This was not enough, and Hume took to advocating for the trade of rhino horn. His rationale is to flood the market with legal rhino horn to reduce the incentive for illegal poaching. The belief is that if the supply of rhino horn meets the demand, it will drive down its price, potentially dissuading criminal syndicates. Moreover, Hume intended to use the proceeds from legal horn sales to fund the maintenance of the ranch and continue breeding rhinos.
Platinum Rhino faced significant financial stress due to the escalating costs of maintaining the ranch and funding security measures to prevent poaching. Given these challenges, Hume sought partnerships with organizations experienced in rhino relocations. Unfortunately, no such support materialized.
Platinum Rhino was put up for auction on April 26, 2023, with the aim of finding a suitable new owner to continue the conservation mission. When the auction closed on May 1, there were no official bids. Faced with the risk of leaving the rhinos without an owner, potentially leading to increased poaching and fragmentation, African Parks stepped in.
African Parks, one of the largest conservation organizations in Africa, purchased Platinum Rhino with the support of the South African Government and secured emergency funding.
African Parks is a non-profit conservation organization that takes responsibility for rehabilitating and managing national parks in partnership with governments and local communities. With the purchase of Platinum Rhino, their goal is to rewild over 2,000 southern white rhinos over the next decade. This endeavor represents one of the largest continent-wide rewilding projects ever undertaken for a single species.
Rewilding is the process of returning animals to their natural habitats and ecosystems. African Parks' mission involves translocating the rhinos to well-managed protected areas across Africa. This will establish or supplement strategic populations, ensuring the long-term survival of the species.
In the words of Peter Fearnhead, CEO of African Parks, "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." African Parks will work with governments, funding partners, and conservation organizations to make this rewilding vision a reality.
The purchase of Platinum Rhino by African Parks represents a significant turning point in the world of rhino conservation. It offers hope for the survival and flourishing of the southern white rhino and marks the beginning of the most critical decade for rhino conservation.
Read African Parks Press Release here.
Resources:
https://buffalodreamranch.wordpress.com/our-story/
https://www.africanparks.org/2000-southern-white-rhino-be-released-wild-over-next-10-years