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In November we also received word from our game reserve in the Kalahari that their prize black rhino bull, Jonga — the only one they ever named, because they loved him so much — was poached. He was an entity, a charismatic and magnificent creature.
Our team was stunned. Why? Everyone kept asking. Why kill such a being? For a fruit bowl? For a sword sheath? To show status by powdering rhino horn on drinks?
Why?
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There are moments when the reality of the fight to save the rhino hits home. here are moments when the reality of the fight to save the rhino hits home.
Three moments came in November:
A photo circled social media of a rhino fetus — everything perfectly formed, the little ears, the neck folds, the flawless feet, the nostrils ready to breath.
But the fetus was still born because the mother was poached days before the little one would have been born. Two lives snuffed out; one before it even started!
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And then, we received a video from one of the game reserves we protect with license plate recognition cameras. It captured the world’s most iconic rhino, Samson — surrounded in a migration of thousands of butterflies.
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Technology Giant joins BRR in the
fight to save Africa’s Rhinos
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A technology revolution is changing the world, so it is a natural evolution for Baby Rhino Rescue to become increasingly more involved with the efficiencies, efficacies and anonymity that technology can bring to the fight because:
The sophistication of poaching syndicates is increasing at an alarming rate. The threat to the lives of individuals standing between poachers and our rhinos has never been greater, as we saw with the horrific murder of Anton Zimba in front of his family this year.
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We are thrilled to announce BRR’s newly formed partnership with an international technology giant. And whilst we cannot give too much information at this stage, the first pilot equipment has arrived in Johannesburg and is due to be deployed at a secret location in South Africa in January.
Watch this space for further announcements in the new year! This international tech giant sees the value of getting involved in the fight to keep rhinos and all animals safe, stepping into the void left by the ANC government of South Africa.
When a tech giant gets involved things get macro very quickly! This is the plan: going macro!
That’s looking ahead into 2023.
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But first, 2022 was BRR’s Best Year to Date! | |
CAMERAS HAVE BEEN OUR MAIN FOCUS |
LPR—License Plate Recognition
Our successful golf day fundraiser with partner Conserv Earth raised R530 000 to equip the Waterberg biosphere with License Plate Recognition cameras where they need it most. The 400,000 sq hectare area now is very well secured with layers of cameras with both license-plate and bush-motion cameras.
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But one large area in the north with 100,000 sq hectares, named “the Red Cluster”, remained completely unsecured.
The R530 000 worth of camera equipment have been used to offer much of the protection needed!
All of the cameras have been purchased, installed, and are operational. This effectively makes the entire Waterberg region much safer. There are still more areas to be secured, but more than three-quarters of the Waterberg has been equipped with cameras.
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This is such a significant conservation effort, as this has helped protect the rhinos during the holiday period, which is notorious for a spike in poaching!
SAMSON
We also provided license plate recognition cameras in an area where the most iconic rhino lives. Samson, the guy in the butterfly migration, is 40 years old. It is imperative to keep him safe! When one considers his incredible beauty, one feels the precariousness of the entire situation.
Because the cameras are placed on a road that three rhino properties use, our cameras keep them safe also.
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Wildlife Protection Solution Cameras | |
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THE MOST INJURED OF ALL RHINOS: SEHA
We had the momentous experience earlier in 2022 of watching Seha walk into freedom after six years in confinement. Baby Rhino Rescue paid for his relocation into the wild, as well as funding the two breeding females who went with him.
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COLLARS
Through our successful Mothers’ Day campaign we raised funds for 10 rhino collars. These are attached to the rhino’s feet and quickly allow protectors to learn the rhino’s behavior. If a rhino behaves erratically, 24/7 controls sound an alarm, issue coordinates, and guards arrive at the spot within minutes. This means poachers are caught. Ten Waterberg rhinos will be collared in early 2023.
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RHINO INNOCULATION
BRR provided the funds for all the inoculation of rhinos at our game reserve in the Kalahari. (Look for the blue mark on the rhino’s rump.)
We also paid for the helicopter flying time needed to locate and inoculate rhinos. This means rhinos won’t get sick!
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ORPHAN MILK DONATED
With a donation by Wags and Menace make a Difference foundation, we funded orphan milk for four young rhinos at the Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary.
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DRONES
We purchased two military grade drones for our game reserve in the Kalahari. These have been a game changer.
ICU PADDING
We provided the funds to equip the ICU area at the Rhino Pride Foundation with necessary padding to protect injured rhinos.
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PRIVATE RHINO OWNER WORK
In our partnership with Rhino Connect we have worked with the private rhino owners in different parts of SA by making possible:
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The darting and necessary dehorning of a white rhino bull, to keep him safe.
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Helicopter flying time for anti-poaching patrols in two different regions of South Africa.
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Relocation of two white rhino bulls to get them away from an aggressive resident bull!
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Provided aid for an injured black rhino bull.
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Removal of a bullet from rhino named Junior after a poaching incident.
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Follow up treatment for Junior.
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Further necessary treatment when Junior’s wound began swelling.
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Aerial surveillance after gunshots heard.
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All security mobilization after gunshots.
Our work with Rhino Connect is intensifying and we look forward to updating you on multiple different projects in 2023.
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A LICENSE PLATE RECOGNITION CAMERA SUCCESS STORY:
Poachers try to avoid routes with cameras, so they take back roads!
However, we had cameras installed on back roads!
A Hyundai was picked up on a back road in the Kalahari by one of the BRR cameras. All data went into the system.
The Hyundai driver — a Nigerian — was picked up in a different part of the country with no incriminating evidence, but the driver’s profile was collected.
The Hyundai was then spotted in The Waterberg, 500 kms east of the Kalahari by a license recognition camera.
Police stopped the car and found three people with axes, machetes and guns inside — all the equipment used for poaching. They were jailed, but released on bail.
A month later, our cameras picked up another small vehicle driving back roads in The Waterberg — it was the same Nigerian man.
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He was found with two horns in his car, so he now, finally, will get many years behind bars.
At least 30 rhino-related arrests have been made as a result of the cameras. Plus, as a result of the cameras, it is believed that ten times that number of arrests have been made relating to other crimes! Crime statistics in areas patrolled by cameras are drastically reduced.
“It’s a huge success” says Johan Oodendaal, managing director of the Khamab Game Reserve in the Kalahari. “The net is getting tighter,” he says, “poachers and criminals are finding it more difficult to move around.”
It’s exciting to think that not only rhinos benefit here, but all the animals benefit — pangolins, elephants, lions and the many buck species that are all victims of poaching.
Of course, human crimes also are thwarted: drug, sex, child trafficking, transport heists, cattle theft and farm murders are deterred by the cameras as well!
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Hitting the Road
BRR Founder Helena Kriel and South African directors Karina Suter and Sarah Clayton will be hitting the road in early 2023, visiting our partners on the ground. We look forward to updating you!
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Thank you for an incredible year!
We mean it when we say —
Nothing is possible without you!
Please stay with us on this journey.
Let’s prevail.
Let’s imagine our world WITH rhinos in it!
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