Rhinos without Borders
With the increased influence of Asia in Africa, the poaching of rhinos in Africa increased again. From 2008 onwards, poaching skyrocketed and in South Africa in particular, up to a thousand rhinos were killed per year at times.
2013: The first translocation
Years of negotiation and planning preceded the pioneering translocation of six white rhino from &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, to Botswana’s Okavango Delta in 2013. Facilitated in partnership with Rhino Force, and with the full support of the Botswana Rhino Management Committee, this conservation coup was generously funded by lead sponsor, Motorite Administrators.
A safer future
The objective was to translocate rhino from high-risk poaching areas in South Africa and create new source populations in Botswana’s wilderness areas. Botswana was carefully selected as the recipient country due to its ecological suitability and the government’s firm commitment to the long-term success of this new rhino population. Each rhino was fitted with specially designed telemetry devices for research and active monitoring purposes.
Preparation and training
In preparation for the arrival of these first six rhino, the Botswana game scouts were provided with intensive tracking and monitoring training at &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve. They were familiarised with the use of the satellite collars and tracking equipment designed to monitor the movement and behaviour of the rhino following their release. A portion of this equipment, as well as anti-poaching uniforms and binoculars, was supplied by the Chipembere Rhino Foundation.
2014 – 2019: Rhinos Without Borders
Following on the success of this successful translocation, Rhinos Without Borders was born in 2014 – a collaborative project between &Beyond and Great Plains Conservation. The aim of this joint initiative is to ensure the survival of Southern Africa’s rhinos by translocating a breeding population of 100 animals to a Botswana safe haven. By December 2019, 87 rhinos had been relocated.
2020: Rhinos Without Borders update
The exciting news is that the new source population of 87 translocated rhinos have grown to well over the target amount, and now include a significant number of calves born in the Okavango Delta – a great testimony to the success of this project.
In view of some recent poaching in Botswana, this initiative’s full resources and collaborative infrastructure have now been concentrated around the protection of these source populations, as they are the true legacy of Rhinos Without Borders.
Year 2018
2018 - Claudia travels to Botswana! - Donation of US$ 22,500The aim of Rhinos Without Borders, Great Plains Conservation & andBeyond was and is to translocate at least 100 rhinos from South Africa to the safe haven that is Botswana.
Year 2017
2017 - Felix travels to Botswana! - Donation of US$ 45,000
The SwissAfrican Foundation joined forces with the Great Plains Foundation & andBeyond to move several rhino from South Africa to Botswana at the end of March 2017. The SwissAfrican Foundation contributed to moving one rhino at a cost of US$ 45,000.
Our partner
Dereck & Beverly Joubert - Great Plains Foundation
Dereck and Beverly Joubert are globally recognized, award-winning filmmakers, conservationists, and National Geographic explorers-in-large based in Botswana. Their mission for more than 30 years has been the conservation of key wildlife species, with a focus on large predators. They are the owners of Great Plains Conservation, which operates some of the most beautiful camps in Botswana and Kenya. Through the Great Plains Foundation, various nature conservation projects are driven forward.
The Jouberts have published 12 books, produced 30 films for National Geographic, and written half a dozen scientific papers as well as many articles for National Geographic magazine. They have received 8 Emmy Awards, a Peabody Award, a Grand Teton Award, multiple Golden Panda Awards, a World Ecology Award (along with Britain’s Prince Charles, Sylvia Earle, and paleoanthropologist Richard Leakey), and a Presidential Order of Merit awarded by Botswana’s ex-president, Seretse Khama Ian Khama, for their conservation work.
The Jouberts’ films have received widespread attention and have been viewed by millions of people. Films like «Eternal Enemies», «The Last Lions», «Soul of the Elephant» and their masterpiece «Eye of the Leopard» are known world-wide. For more information, please visit their website
www.wildlifefilms.co
All of Dereck & Beverly's work has one goal: to save the wild areas of Africa and protect the wildlife that depends on them. The President of Botswana described them aptly when he said, "Theirs is a life long passion; for each other, for big cats, for Africa...they are true "children of Africa."
