Conservation talk - The Eye Talk

We recently embarked on our first conservation talk, titled "Eye Talk” led by esteemed experts Leoni Joubert and Prof. Wayne Gillan. This captivating session delved into the intricate workings of animal eyes and their remarkable ability to perceive the world. Through this enlightening discourse, we discovered that the animal kingdom encompasses an astounding array of eight distinct eye types. Furthermore, we were intrigued to learn that while dogs possess the ability to discern colors, they lack the red color receptors, rendering them incapable of perceiving the color red.

Buoyed by the success of this inaugural event, we are eagerly devising a series of forthcoming conservation talks. These educational endeavours aim to bridge the gap between myths and facts, fostering a more enlightened understanding among the general public. Be sure to keep an eye on our social media platforms as we unveil an exciting line-up of future talks. Together, let us embark on a journey of conservation awareness and appreciation for the wondrous creatures that inhabit our world.

Rhino monitoring Experience

In May 2023, we launched our highly anticipated project, the Rhino Monitoring Experience. This immersive experience begins with an informative presentation regarding the history and the future of rhinos, followed by an expedition into the field. Led by our field manager, Phillip Vivier, guests have the unique opportunity to witness rhinos in their natural habitat.

The primary objective of this initiative is to generate funds that will contribute to the conservation and protection of rhinos. Since their release in 2017, our beloved Lucky 5 rhinos still require ongoing care and attention to ensure their safety, well-being, and long-term success in the wild.

By participating in the Rhino Monitoring Experience, visitors not only gain a profound understanding of these magnificent creatures but also actively contribute to their preservation. Each contribution goes a long way in safeguarding these endangered animals and their fragile ecosystem.

We are thrilled to provide this unparalleled opportunity for nature enthusiasts and wildlife advocates alike. Join us on this transformative journey as we strive to secure a brighter future for rhinos and ensure their place in the natural world for generations to come.

Our kids first trip to Koru Camp

In late April 2023, the first 10 children from Ndabeni Higher Primary School embarked on an exciting adventure with Rhino Revolution. They spent two days and one night at Koru Camp, one of the three wildlife activities offered to the children through the Education Project.

At Koru Camp, the children had the unique opportunity to get up close and personal with the Big 5 (elephants, lions, leopards, buffalos, and of course, rhinos). In the green classroom, they received special lessons on various topics related to environmental and species within conservation. Twice a day, they went into the bush with a safari guide to observe their beloved animals.

During their stay at the camp, the children were provided with nutritious meals to give them the necessary energy for their adventures. Koru Camp is also a nonprofit organization that collaborates with Rhino Revolution to offer the children unique and educational experiences.

The stay at Koru Camp was a great success and left a lasting impression on the children. They not only had the opportunity to discover the fascinating wildlife but also learned important lessons about environmental protection and the significance of species conservation. We are already looking forward to the nine additional camp stays that we have booked for the children in 2023.

Christmas for our kids

The end of the 2022 school year in South Africa is a special occasion every year for Rhino Revolution to prepare a special surprise for our learners from our Education Project. This year we thought of something very special to make them happy.

Each of our 165 children received a school backpack filled with stationery such as crayons, pencils, sharpeners, erasers, and rulers. In addition, there was also a little candy for the children. This 2022 Christmas campaign was made possible thanks to the generous financial support of Julie De Marco with €4,000. We are incredibly grateful to her for this support, which enabled us to give the children a successful surprise.

The beaming faces of the children were priceless when they received their new school backpacks. It was a moment of joy and gratitude that makes us proud as an organization. We would also like to thank our dedicated team members who organized the campaign and lovingly prepared the backpacks.

We are not only focusing on the protection of rhinos, but also on the well-being and education of the children who are part of our education project. We not only want to impart knowledge to them, but also offer them joy and support in their everyday school life.

We hope these little gifts will increase their motivation and encourage them to keep doing their best at school.

RR's dehorning work showcased at Expo 2020 Dubai!

Rhino Revolution’s work is being showcased at Expo 2020 Dubai!
This image of Anna Mussi gently tending to an anesthetised rhino after being dehorned is featured in an international photo exhibition at the 2020 Expo in Dubai.
Image by Wild Shots Outreach photographer Mathebula Rifumo and exhibition sponsored by Canon Middle East.
We are SO proud to work with this NPO, exposing young budding photographers to wildlife and nature.

Masingita gives birth to her first calf!! <3

We are delighted to announce that one of our Lucky Five orphans has fulfilled what we believe to be our ethos of true conservation - by breeding in the wild.
These are sensitive days for a new mother who was rescued as a young orphan from poaching. We will now endeavour to protect her privacy as she establishes her relationship with her new calf - this time just as it should be.
From our tiny rescued Miracle (Massingita) comes Light (Lesedi). We think that she it truly perfect - and we hope that you all agree. A basic right has been returned by Rhino Revolution for a calf to be raised by it's mother in the wild. Now it is for all of us to collectively secure her safe future. Thank you to every donor, past and present, together we did this.

A true beacon of light has arrived!

Rhino orphan Ringo is showcased at COP26!

White Rhino Ringo, orphaned, rescued, rehabilitated and released by Rhino Revolution, goes to COP 26!
This powerful image of Ringo, one of The Lucky Five rewilded orphans being dehorned is the WINNING image in The Earth Project's COP26 competition!
Amazing international exposure for the plight of rhinos, Rhino Revolution’s work AND Wild Shots Outreach talented photographer Rivoni Mkansi.
So PROUD of what we are making happen, working together.
Thank you to everybody who voted for this image.

Running for Rhinos - SUCCESS!

A HUGE thank you to supporter Laura-Jean Evens for organising such a successful Rhino Run at the weekend. More than 50 runners took part and raised valuable funding for Rhino Revolution.
Thank YOU Laura for all your hard work, vision and determination, and to Alistair Cronk (allycatevents.co.za), Dominic at the The Big Red Barn, Mr Price Sports for the prizes ,and photographer Bruce Talbot.
Finally a HUGE thank you to RR’s own Phillip Vivier for attending the event and manning the RR merchandise stall, helping to raise awareness about our work.
Together we can all make a difference – there are so many ways to help! 💕🦏

Dog handling course completed!

A successful course and passing out parade to end!
Dog Training and Handling - Level 5 was completed by RR rehabilitator Phillip Vivier, and Vulcan’s two Protrack handlers Brett and Emotion.
Chrisjan Visser (specialist trainer from Kilo9 Kennels) put them through their paces during the 6 week course. They covered health and care, tracking, detection, bite work and other theory and skills in order to work with Vulcan correctly and develop his ability as he grows.
We think he looks pretty pleased with himself!
Thank you to Rhino Revolution UK for supporting Vulcan’s costs and this specialised training

Annual International Pangolin Conference

Anna Mussi and Harriet Nimmo attended the #InternationalPangolinConference at Skukuza, Kruger National Park hosted by African Pangolin Working Group.
This was a chance for experts, veterinarians, rehabilitates, researchers and passionate individuals to all share information, advice and a wealth of knowledge.
It is so great to be connecting with so many pangolin experts, sharing best practice and making new connections. It is vital we all come together in our work to save the 8 species of pangolin worldwide.

CoC Kennedy joins on patrol!

During her time in Hoedspruit, it was great to have donor Kennedy Zakeer from the wonderful Council of Contributors join us on mounted security patrol, seen here with her trusty steed, Splendid Tambur.
Kennedy has been a long supporter of Rhino Revolution; assisting with camera trap monitoring projects, dehorning operations and now the mounted patrol unit.
Thank you for your valuable support!

Local schoolchildren attend a dehorning!

Inspiring the conservationists of the future.
Wherever possible, when we undertake rhino dehorning operations, we always try to invite a group of young learners along from the local community. It is so important for these young people to see and understand “conservation in action” and the measures being taken to save our precious rhino.
Here, a group of pupils and their teacher from Mugidi Primary School in Acornhoek joined us on Selati Game Reserve. As part of our community engagement projects, this is just one of many schools that RR staff give lessons to weekly.
A big thank you to Selati Game Reserve and WildScapes vets Joel Alves and Ben Muller for making the students so welcome.
Pics by Wild Shots Outreach student, Theresa Karabo Magakane

200 rhino dehorned since lockdown!

We are SAVING rhino!
We are so proud to announce that since lockdown commenced March last year and tourism collapsed, Rhino Revolution has now co-ordinated and funded the dehorning of nearly 200 (yes, TWO HUNDRED!) rhino on the local private reserves on this area. That’s 200 rhino now hopefully not targeted by poachers.
A massive thank you to Anna Mussi and her team for their dedication and hard work, during difficult times– and to every donor who has helped fund these costly operations.

RR showcased in SA Airports!

Rhino Revolution’s pangolin and rhino video’s are being shown in Cape Town and Durban Airports!
We are very proud that two short videos are being screened in Arrivals and Departures at Cape Town International Airport and King Shaka Airport, South Africa, raising awareness about the plight of pangolins and rhino.
Check out both videos (no audio) – and send us a picture if you’re passing through CPT Airport.
A very big thank you to film maker Justin Sullivan.
https://youtu.be/ZIzRJ3TOqkM https://youtu.be/j_4sej6WTSw

Black rhino ultrasound.

During the recent dehorning operations on the black rhino on the Rietspruit Conservancy, we took the opportunity to try and find out if the black rhino cow is pregnant. Her calf is now about 4 years old - and so in theory it would be timely for her to be pregnant again.
When her snare injury was examined earlier this year, we took blood samples to send away for testing, which indicated she might be pregnant.
While she was under the anesthetic for the dehorning, Veterinarian Peter Rogers and Nurse Jacky Spiby did an examination and ultrasound. Although it seems she has been mounted and mated – sadly the ultrasound did not reveal any foetus.
Therefore we are continuing veterinary investigations and an option is to treat her with hormones via drop-out darts. As black rhinos are Critically Endangered, every rhino counts.
Thank you to Janine Meuffels and Hemmersbach Rhino Force for undertaking the ultrasound and Wild Response, Kevin Pip and Cassy Zona for supporting the costs.

Black rhinos are safely dehorned!

A big relief that the Rhino Revolution team successfully managed to locate the black rhino bull, cow and calf and safely dehorn them – they took some finding in the thick bush.
Now we can hopefully all sleep a little easier, knowing all the wild black rhino in our Black Rhino Breeding Programme are dehorned.
As always this was a huge team effort. A very big thank you to our sponsors, Wild Response, Kevin Pip and Cassy Zona , vet Peter Stewart Rogers and Provet Animal Hospital, and pilots Gerry McDonald and Bruce McDonald

Meet Vulcan - our new anti-poaching dog!

May we introduce you? Vulcan has joined our security team.
RR-UK donors have funded the purchase, training and costs for a new dog to add extra protection to our reserve and rehab. This wonderful young Dutch Shepherd was selected by Kilo9 and will be worked with by both Protrack and our own staff – this breed is proving to be very successful as anti-poaching dogs.
As well as patrolling the reserve’s perimeter fences, Vulcan is currently undergoing specialist training in bite, bark and tracking commends to help keep our rhino safe.
A very big thank you to Rhino Revolution UK for sponsoring Vulcan’s costs.
He will also be the new mascot for www.thecrash.co.uk our kids portal, where you can follow his progress.

Our Mounted Patrols are expanding!

As a result of their unique success, our mounted horse patrols are expanding!
Two of our ex-racehorses are moving to Thornybush Nature Reserve to join the security forces there to help deter poaching. Thornybush is part of the Greater Kruger APNR, and so they will be providing protection for all the wildlife on the property.
One of the best parts of conservation work is connecting good with good and coming up with "even gooder" as a result!
With the expansion of our mounted anti-poaching patrols, Rhino Revolution guard Tokelo has also moved to Thornybush Nature Reserve to make sure the horses are settling in.
Thornybush Nature Reserve field rangers and K9 handlers Luigi Gino Cinquina and Mc Burger have already connected with the two horses, Beat Patrol and Eternal Words (Cami).
Meanwhile the daily horse patrols continue on the Rhino Revolution reserve.

Girl Power!

Rhino Revolution’s very own Karabo Karabinah Chiloane , who heads up our Educational Outreach Programme, has passed her PDP driving licence, which means she’s now qualified to drive the #dnata Jungle Bus!
Karabo is leading the daytrips to Kruger for Eco Children and GreenKidz Programme and heads our Community Engagement Projects along with our EMs.

Pangolin seized!

Pangolin seized!
Rhino Revolution's SA Veterinary Nurse Jacky Spiby is assisting Provet Animal Hospital with yet another pangolin confiscated from the trade. This young male was seized from poachers locally in collaboration with African Pangolin Working Group and K9 Conservation.
Here's hoping he makes a full recovery and thank you to everybody involved in his rescue.