RhiNews … the latest from Save the Rhino International

Second pregnancy at the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary

Exciting news from our partners at the International Rhino Foundation – Sumatran rhino, Ratu, is pregnant with her second calf at the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary! Ratu is expected to give birth in May 2016 after successfully mating with Andalas earlier this year.

Pictured above is Ratu’s foetus at 117 days old. The ultrasound images of the developing calf show that the pregnancy is progressing normally.

With fewer than 100 Sumatran rhinos estimated to survive, each birth is an incredibly important milestone for the future survival of the species.

Read more on this story.

Conservation award for Save the Rhino’s Director, Cathy

Cathy Dean, Director of Save the Rhino International and a member of the IUCN SSC African Rhino Specialist Group, is among the recipients of this year’s Harry Messel Award for Conservation Leadership. Pictured above is Mike Knight, chair of the AFRSG accepting the award from Simon Stuart, SSC Chair, on her behalf.

Cathy’s award is “In recognition of her passionate and committed leadership of Save the Rhino International, greatly benefitting rhinoceros conservation in Africa and Asia, and her long-term support of the SSC African Rhino Specialist Group.”

Read more on our website.

Thank you for supporting #WorldRhinoDay

Thank you to all our fantastic rhino fans for making World Rhino Day a huge success on 22 September.

We certainly made a global impression; taking social media by storm, zoo events, cake sales, rhino costume fundraising, #Nailit4Rhinos and more!

Thanks to all those who got involved in our #Nailit4Rhinos campaign, highlighting that rhino horn is made from keratin – the same substance found in human hair and hails. Your creativity was incredible.

Visit our website to see our World Rhino Day gallery including some of the best nail images! And find out the winners of our Barry M competition.

Eight rhinos poached during ‘Supermoon’

The media has reported devastating news from Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park in South Africa, where eight rhinos were killed during three separate poaching incidents in the Park during the last weekend in September.

Another rhino was attacked but survived and is undergoing treatment. The poachers seemed to take advantage of the particularly bright supermoon.

As at 27 August, South Africa had lost 749 rhinos to poaching so far this year.

Read more online.

Photo credits: Dedi Candra, YABI, Scan courtesy of Yayasan Badak Indonesia, Through a guide’s lens with James Suter / Black Bean Productions