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 British writer and humorist Douglas Adams, who is also known to be a conservation enthusiast.
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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:
"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. Ojectives:
The funds SRI raise are used to support projects that address rhino conservation through a number of measures:
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, 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.
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 aquariums in Europe annually.
"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 benefit.
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.