JOHANNESBURG, South Africa: Dozens of southern white rhinos have been released into the wild in South Africa, marking the first step of an ambitious initiative to rewild 2,000 rhinos across the continent, the NGO African Parks announced. This effort aims to bolster the population of this species, which was hunted nearly to extinction in the late 19th century but has since made a recovery due to extensive protection and breeding programs.
The project, named “Rhino Rewild,” plans to reintroduce 2,000 southern white rhinos into secure protected areas over the next decade. The first 40 dehorned rhinos were recently relocated to the Munywana Conservancy in KwaZulu-Natal province to enhance its rhino population.
Environment Minister Barbara Creecy expressed strong support from the South African government for this initiative. African Parks, a Johannesburg-based non-profit organization funded by donors such as the EU, USAID, and independent international foundations, purchased the world’s largest rhino farm in September. This 7,800-hectare (19,300-acre) farm, home to 2,000 rhinos, will serve as a crucial resource for the rewilding project.
South Africa, which houses nearly 80 percent of the world’s rhinoceros population, faces significant challenges from poaching driven by high demand for rhino horns in Asia, where they are used in traditional medicine for their alleged therapeutic properties.
