Today is World Ranger Day. IRF is celebrating the men and women who protect rhinos starting today and throughout August which is the 25th Anniversary of the Indonesian Rhino Protection Units (RPUs). Tune in for stories, shoutouts from the field and other content all month long. One day just doesn't seem enough. Every day, rangers... Continue Reading →
Like all of you, IRF and the larger rhino conservation community has had to make some adjustments to our plans this year. In addition to program operations, we’ve obviously had to postpone any travel to field sites, visits to partners, international conferences, and one of the highlights of our year, the Bowling for Rhinos trip.... Continue Reading →
IRF recently awarded a $100,000 grant to the Southern African Wildlife College (SAWC) to support training and anti-poaching operations to protect rhinos in the wild. The SAWC, established in 1996, provides training to natural resource managers from across Africa. The SAWC also directly operates a K9 and aerial support unit in support of the Kruger... Continue Reading →
The crisis was building. COVID-19 had brought tourism to a halt and game reserves that depend on that income to protect rhinos from poaching were facing difficult decisions that could put them at even greater risk. Responding to urgent requests from game reserves and parks facing severe budget shortfalls in southern Africa, the International Rhino... Continue Reading →
In March of this year, IRF and its partners translocated two female greater one-horned rhinos to India’s Manas National Park, increasing the population to 40. This was the 7th translocation under the guidance of the Indian Rhino Vision 2020 program (IRV2020), which established an initial population of 18 in 2009. A greater one-horned rhino grazes... Continue Reading →
Rhinos face challenges every year and 2019 was no different. Poaching pressure intensified in certain areas of southern Africa. Sumatran rhino populations continued to be at risk. But working collaboratively with our allies, we also saw encouraging results. Strict protection and partnership in India resulted in a decline in poaching losses. The fragile Javan rhino... Continue Reading →
By now you've probably seen this camera trap video of a Javan rhino wallowing - it’s gone viral! But we thought we'd give you a little more behind the video... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGf3SfGs420 Like all rhino species, Javan rhinos (Rhinoceros sondaicus) roll in the mud, or wallow, to cool off and the mud helps protect their skin from... Continue Reading →
For the past month we’ve been raising funds to plant trees in Way Kambas National Park, home to one of the world’s most endangered mammal species, the Sumatran rhino. With fewer than 80 animals left, all living in small, fragmented populations, we must take immediate action to save the Sumatran rhino from extinction. IRF is... Continue Reading →
When you were a child, you probably enjoyed pizza or ice cream parties for your birthday. For a rhino, like Andatu, he prefers plants and fruits as his treat. Today is his special day, and the keepers at the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary (SRS) in Way Kambas National Park in Sumatra, Indonesia have his favorites ready... Continue Reading →
Restoration Site, Way Kambas National Park. Photo by Nick Garbutt. http://www.nickgarbutt.com Reforestation can be difficult. Fires, tsunamis, and other natural disasters can be a setback. Without the commitment of the local community, the project will struggle to be sustainable. It's a delicate harmony. Way Kambas National Park in Sumatra is the only protected area in... Continue Reading →
