African Parks' bold move to save rhinos: Rewilding the world's largest rhino farm
Earth's most endangered creatures. If you missed it, here's an update on what's happening with the five remaining species of rhino on our planet.
The relentless poaching for rhino horn continues to pose a grave threat to rhino populations in Africa.
Of particular concern are the Sumatran rhino and the Javan rhino, the two smallest and most endangered species. They teeter on the brink of being unable to sustain themselves in the wild, primarily due to habitat loss and dwindling population sizes.
However, amidst these challenges, a beacon of hope shines.
African Parks, a renowned conservation charity, recently made an audacious move by acquiring the largest private collection of rhino globally, the Platinum Rhino farm located near Johannesburg in South Africa. The farm was previously owned by South African businessman John Hume.
African Parks has a visionary plan to release the entire rhino population from the Platinum Rhino ranch, which currently numbers around 2,000 rhinos.
This impressive endeavor accounts for roughly 15 percent of the global white rhino population. Over the next decade, these rhinos will be reintroduced into the wild across Africa.
This initiative is a cause for celebration among conservationists and wildlife enthusiasts.
As an ecologist, the conviction remains strong that wildlife belongs in its natural habitat, not in captivity. John Hume's initial intentions to breed farmed rhino and potentially profit from legal international horn trade faced challenges, as the international ban on trading rhino horn, established by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), continues to stand firm, despite fervent lobbying efforts.
The debate around legalizing the trade in rhino horns has
