Imire Rhino & Wildlife Conservation will celebrate World Rhino Day on Friday, September 25.
Imire will once again celebrate World Rhino Day with the Hwedza community. These people are crucially assisting with the responsibility of the security of the wildlife in this part of the world, in particular the endangered rhino.
League soccer, netball and touch rugby championship finals draw the crowds and are always an exciting “grand finale” to the day. World Rhino Day has become an important highlight of the year for everyone, and this year they hope to draw an even bigger crowd. It is an opportunity to thank our community for their support and to celebrate that all here in Hwedza are guardians to a population of 7 black and white rhino.
This year the funding will be going towards soccer/netball kit and balls for the 28 rural soccer /netball league teams as well as the entertainment for World Rhino Day. We humbly ask the public once again to support this vital day in any way you are able. We are aware of the tough times everyone is going through. Any small donation would be so appreciated.
League soccer, netball and touch rugby championship finals draw the crowds and are always an exciting “grand finale” to the day. World Rhino Day has become an important highlight of the year for everyone, and this year we hope to draw an even bigger crowd. It is our opportunity to thank our community for their support and to celebrate that all here in Hwedza are guardians to a population of 7 black and white rhino.
The Swazi Community can help take a stand to save the rhino by getting involved with the Nail it for Rhinos Campaign.
All they have to do is get creative with their nails from the 1st of September 2015. World Rhino Day is on Tuesday the 22nd September and the eventual winner will be announced on Social Media on the 22nd. They can color them, Shape them or Fake them; then take selfies (with the highlight of the picture being their nail craft) and share them on our official Big Game Parks instagram, facebook and twitter handles with the caption.
The most creative participant will walk away with:
One night for 2 people at Hlane Royal National Park plus a Rhino Game Drive.
We invite salons to participate by offering a manicure/pedicure prize along side this to stimulate more interest – We hope that if the client wins, the salon owner can join the winner on the game drive and offer the prize at her salon. The prize will be redeemed at the winner’s salon, so only if your client wins, will your prize be taken up.
The winner will be “The most effective artwork seen in photo” selected from social media posts. This means the artwork must stimulate interest as a great rhino ambassador.
How to enter:
Design & paint your #Nailit4RHINO nails (Both Men and Women eligible)
Photograph your nails creatively
Share on your social media platforms and tag:
@biggamparks (twitter)
@BigGameParks (Insta) Big Game Parks (FB)
#Nailit4RHINO
Your Salon’s name
Your own handle
Most effective artwork seen in photo wins – T&C’s apply
Underberg, South Africa will host the inaugural Challenge of RHINO, The Peak on World Rhino Day, September 22 2015.
Its unique connection with its namesake and its natural beauty makes RHINO, The Peak a premier destination for international FKT athletes, hikers and tourists. Five of South Africa’s best trail runners, 3 intrepid rock climbers and a band of able hikers take on the challenge to summit RHINO, The Peak in the Fastest Recorded Time ever!
Following 2015 Rhino Benefit Challenge, dignitaries, trail runners and hikers from across the globe will be invited to register for RHINO, The Peak Challenge and contribute to rhino conservation. To further contribute to rhino conservation and wilderness trail maintenance, a mountain triathlon, named Rhino Revenge and a family challenge, named the Rhino Romp will be held in the shadow of Rhino, The Peak in 2016 Part of the proceeds will be donated to rhino conservation and Maloti-Drakensburg wilderness trail maintenance.
A great World Rhino Day challenge from South Africa!
Either you donate $5 to a rhino conservation fund – OR – you paint your nose red and challenge FIVE other people to do the same. Once challenged, you have 48 hours to accept or reject the challenge!
Join the World Rhino Day Fun Challenge! Image via The Dodo
A huge THANK YOU to everyone who celebrated World Rhino Day 2013! We look forward to another successful World Rhino Day in 2014. In the meantime, enjoy the World Rhino Day 2013 compilation video!
Join Project Rhino KZN and Kinglsey Holgate for World Rhino Weekend at the Boardwalk Shopping Centre, where more than 5,000 pieces of rhino art created by children in South Africa, Mozambique, and Swaziland will be on display!
Kingsley Holgate and other celebrities will be speaking to an estimated 30,000 visitors over the weekend and South African soccer team — Thanda Rhinos — will make a special appearance. White “rhino crosses” will be sold to raise funds for Project Rhino KZN’s work and schools, businesses, artists and conservation leaders are lining up to take part in this weekend of targeted action, fundraising and awareness!
Project Rhino KZN has also created two three-minute video clips (in English and Vietnamese). In these, children from KwaZulu-Natal speak out vehemently against rhino poaching and their words are supported by thousands of hand-drawn pictures from children in the rest of South Africa, Mozambique and Swaziland. Project Rhino KZN encourages all World Rhino Day supporters to hear the heartfelt pleas of children asking for rhino poaching to be stopped, and to share the videos!
No one is too young to celebrate World Rhino Day: A talented group of nursery school children in South Africa have created a rhino out of cardboard boxes and newspaper, and giving it a colorful paint job.
Colorful rhino created by nursery school students!
The rhino will be displayed on the corner of Napier and San Souci Roads in Parktown for World Rhino Day!
In celebration of World Rhino Day weekend, Goldfields Mall in Welkom is giving customers the opportunity to clad their rhino sculpture “Mapompana” (the Short Fat One) in R10 notes on Saturday 21 September in aid of Anti Poaching.
Mapompana is one of the largest solid concrete rhino sculptures in South Africa and is loved by young and old.
Mapompana is one of the largest solid concrete rhino sculptures in South Africa and is loved by young and old. Children have become accustomed to climbing on Mapompana whilst parents enjoy refreshments
in the Piazza.
For the second year in a row, a “Paint-a-thon” will be held at Greenwhich College in Johannesburg, South Africa. Student volunteers are giving up their Saturday night to paint pictures of rhinos. The emphasis is to paint at night in order to also raise awareness that this is when the rhinos are most vulnerable. Photo courtesy of Natasha Griffiths. “Paint-a-thon” at Greenwhich College in Johannesburg.
Rhino Force Bracelets: These cool beaded bracelets are raising funds for rhino conservation and NGOs such as Save the Rhino International. World Rhino Day is the perfect time to wear a Rhino Force Bracelet!
At least 15 countries participated in World Rhino Day 2012!
On September 22nd, 2012, the third annual World Rhino Day was celebrated, with over a dozen countries participating!
World Rhino Day brought NGOs, zoos, rhino sanctuaries, and concerned citizens across the globe together to raise awareness and funds for the five species of rhinoceros — all of which are under threat from the illegal rhino horn trade.
World Rhino Day was initiated by WWF in 2010 and has since become a global phenomenon. Here’s a look at some of the World Rhino Day 2012 success stories:
At the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary in Indonesia, Andatu celebrated his first World Rhino Day, along with his mom, Ratu, and resident rhinos Andalas (Andatu’s father), Rosa, and Bina.
All of the rhinos at the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary in Indonesia received special treats on World Rhino Day 2012. Photo courtesy of International Rhino Foundation.
All of the Sumatran rhinos enjoyed a special basket of treats, prepared by their keepers.
To mark World Rhino Day, Save the Rhino International in London held its very first wine tasting event! 60 people enjoyed a fascinating evening, with Neil from Linton Park Wines delivering an informative talk about the seven different wines he had brought for guests to taste.
To mark World Rhino Day, Save the Rhino International in London held its very first wine tasting event. Photo courtesy of Save the Rhino International.
At the event, the work of Save the Rhino was introduced and guests took part in a rhino myth-buster quiz to help raise awareness. The event was kindly hosted by Vivat Bacchus restaurant, London Bridge.
In Hanoi, Education for Nature-Vietnam joined CITES Vietnam, the US Embassy in Vietnam and other wildlife protection organizations, in a World Rhino Day ceremony. Hunting, illegal trade, and rhino horn consumption led to extinction of the Javan Rhino in Vietnam in 2010, and now Vietnam is one of the main markets contributing to the killing of rhinos elsewhere, especially in South Africa.
In Hanoi, Education for Nature-Vietnam joined CITES Vietnam, the US Embassy in Vietnam and other wildlife protection organizations, in a World Rhino Day ceremony. Photo courtesy of Education for Nature-Vietnam (ENV).
Within the framework of this event, ENV held a small wildlife trade exhibit with information boards and banners. The general message of the exhibit was to stop consumption and trade of rhino horn, as well as other wildlife.
In Harare, Zimbabwe, citizens gathered for musical entertainment and a parade, where they marched from Town House to Africa Union Square. Zimbabwe’s Minister of Environment addressed the crowd, saying that 2012 was special in that it was dedicated to the Year of the Rhino and should inspire co-operation for rhino conservation amongst countries, governments, private sector and individuals.
Crowds gathered in Harare, Zimbabwe, for musical entertainment and a parade, where they marched from Town House to Africa Union Square. Photo courtesy of Tikki Hywood Trust.
As in previous years, South Africa went all out for World Rhino Day, with multiple events organized by concerned citizens, businesses, and conservation groups. Acting Head of Communications at South African National Parks (SANParks), Paul Daphne, said, “World Rhino Day is an opportunity to highlight the efforts being made to fight the scourge of rhino poaching around the world and to debunk the myths and reduce the demand for rhino horn.”
Rhino Africa joined up with the Skydive for Rhinos fundraiser for a special World Rhino Day jump. Photo courtesy of Rhino Africa.
Skydive for Rhinos is an African Conservation Trust (ACT) initiative with the objective of raising R10 Million for on-the-ground, verifiable Rhino conservation and anti-poaching efforts in South Africa.
Another popular event in South Africa was the Rhino Run.
The Rhino Run was a huge success, with all 5 runs going off well around South Africa on Saturday. We had complete weather extremes, from pouring rain in Gauteng, to light rain in Cape Town and PE and Durban, to blistering heat (32C in the shade) in Mpumalanga, but a great time was had by all. We had somewhere between around 1700 runners in total country wide.
Meanwhile in Namibia, Sue Wagner from Save the Rhino Trust reports that World Rhino Day was “Amazing!”
I have been blown away by the phenomenal support of local people and businesses. Close to 30 different businesses gave us gift vouchers and prizes for our event and many were also represented at the function. In short, I would say, a successful SRT event that raised immeasurable awareness on World Rhino Day as well as some significant funding.
Save the Rhino Trust in Namibia held an event that raised immeasurable awareness on World Rhino Day as well as significant funding. Photo courtesy of Save the Rhino Trust.
Kids from three schools — The International School of Walvis Bay, Private School Swakopmund and Namib Primary — took to the streets of Swakop, wearing masks and carrying posters and, in just over two hours, raised close on to N$ 6000 (US $728)!
Rhino Travels and Rhino Media & Communication in Guwahati, Assam, India, hosted a thought provoking presentation on the conservation of Rhinoceros in the different parts of the world: Current Challenges in Conservation of Rhinos in Rhino Range Countries.
A thought-provoking presentation on rhino conservation was given in Assam, India, by Dr. Bibhab Talukdar on World Rhino Day 2012.
The Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya hosted an entire “rhino week” and provided local residents a chance to get into the conservancy for free and see rhinos. On World Rhino Day, Ol Pejeta partnered with Laikipia Wildlife Forum to host a cycling with the rhino competition to raise awareness in Laikipia.
The Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya partnered with Laikipia Wildlife Forum host a World Rhino Day cycling event to raise awareness in Laikipia.
There was a huge turnout with over 100 participants cycling. Children also had a painting competition depicting rhinos and different messages.
Also in Kenya, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy took high school students from one of the Lewa sponsored schools on a game drive round the Conservancy, where they had the amazing opportunity to see a family of white rhinos lazing around by the roadside.
Lewa Wildlife Conservancy took high school students from one of the Lewa sponsored schools on a game drive round the Conservancy. Photo courtesy of Lewa Wildlife Conservancy.
A rhino fact quiz was held, and the winner received a beautiful autographed coffee table book.
Nepal’s World Rhino Day was celebrated with grassroots coordination between the Mrigakunja Buffer Zone User Committee, Prakriti Pathsala Network Jhuwani Resource Center, and Save the Rhino Foundation Nepal.
Students in Chitwan, Nepal, participated in an art and essay competition, with rhino conservation as the theme. Photo courtesy of Suman Bhattarai, PARC Nepal.
Student drawing and essay competitions on rhino conservation were held, with “The Role of Students in Rhino Conservation” as the essay focus. In addition, an Educational Toolkit covering all five rhino species was distributed to participants. Local media coverage was extensive, and included Radio Chitwan, Beso Television, Chitwan Khabar, the Chitwan Post, the Pardarsi Daily, and the Kayakairan Daily.
At Taronga Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo, NSW, Australia, funds were raised for the International Rhino Foundation from the “Jump for Rhinos!” at the Jumping Castle on Saturday, and from Rhino Trail keeper talks, the keeper cookie sales, from a behind-the-scenes tour given to the Dubbo Field Naturalists group, and a little bucket shaking at the visitor plaza.
Taronga Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo, NSW, Australia, hosted a number of educational and fundraising activities on World Rhino Day. Photo courtesy of Taronga Western Plains Zoo.
Funds were also raised with Munch Mobile rhino cookie sales (“Munch for Rhinos!”), donation buckets at the gift shop and ticketing desk, and Zoofari tours and framed print sales.
Rhino Internet sponsored a fundraiser at the Phoenix Zoo in honor of World Rhino Day, and sold custom designed t-shirts — with all proceeds going to the rhinos.
Rhino Internet sponsored a fundraiser at the Phoenix Zoo in honor of World Rhino Day, and sold custom designed t-shirts — with all proceeds going to the rhinos. Photo courtesy of Rhino Internet.
The Rhino Internet team was onsite at the Phoenix Zoo with keepers, visiting the white rhino Half-Ear, and helping to raise awareness about rhinos.
Cameron Park Zoo in Waco, Texas, held an awareness-raising event featuring keeper talks, hands on activities, and t-shirt sales to benefit rhino conservation.
Cameron Park Zoo in Waco, Texas, held an awareness-raising event featuring keeper talks, hands on activities, and t-shirt sales to benefit rhino conservation. Photo courtesy of Cameron Park Zoo.
Visitors also purchased raffle tickets to win a chance to meet Cameron Park Zoo’s resident rhinos, Babe and Jabba!
WWF, AWF, TRAFFIC and WildAid teamed up for an informative Google+ Hang Out on the Monday following World Rhino Day — here’s where you can view a video of the Rhino Hang Out on Google+.Julian Rademeyer revealed the cover and title of his upcoming book. Photo courtesy of Julian Rademeyer.
In addition to the World Rhino Day events noted above:
Investigative journalist Julian Rademeyer announced the title of his upcoming book, and posted a sneak peek of the cover.
At Zoo Basel in Switzerland, a special information booth was set up to call attention to the urgent need to protect rhinoceroses. Zoo Basel uses a portion of proceeds from admissions to support an in situ project in India.
Federal Air placed a World Rhino Day badge on its website
Edinburgh Zoo held a number of special rhino activities for kids, including coloring, making a rhino mask, and being a “rhino ranger” to identify either Bertus or Samir, the Zoo’s greater one-horned rhinos.
Please join rhino supporters around the globe for World Rhino Day 2013! In the meantime, check out additional photos and events on the World Rhino Day Facebook page!
Continuing the battleThe Happy Readers program in Zimbabwe utilized rhino education materials to help children learn to read English. Photo courtesy of Emma O’Beirne.
The battle to protect rhinos from rhino horn syndicates, wildlife traffickers, and corrupt elements continues. South Africa’s rhino death toll for 2012 reached 381 two weeks ago, with some sources claiming that the figure is now closer to 400.
Join Project Rhino KZN and Kinglsey Holgate for World Rhino Weekend at the Boardwalk Shopping Centre, where more than 5,000 pieces of rhino art created by children in South Africa, Mozambique, and Swaziland will be on display!
