Today is World Rhino Day, which is celebrated every year to recognize the importance of these massive, endangered mammals, take stock of the threats that they face, and build hope for their future.
This World Rhino Day, we are highlighting an incredible program from the Mozambique Wildlife Alliance (MWA), an RRF grantee who has partnered with the National Administration of Conservation Areas (ANAC) to launch an innovative and highly effective program for white rhinos wandering across the South Africa border into Mozambique.
By safely dehorning these rhinos, MWA and ANAC are removing the reason for poachers to kill the rhinos, meaning that these rhinos can find a new home in Mozambique under the supervision of MWA and various reserve staff. Dehorning poses no risk to the health of these rhinos, and the horn always grows back in time. And that time without poaching pressure is critical for authorities to build up the security for Mozambique’s reserves, so that dehorning will one day no longer be necessary to keep native and inbound rhinos safe from wildlife criminals.
Read the full story about this incredible, life-saving program for Mozambique’s rhinos in our special StoryMap update.
Happy World Rhino Day!