At the height of the poaching crisis in 2016 the founder of Rhino Connect, Tersia Jooste, had a heartbreaking encounter with a newly orphaned baby rhino. She decided it was time to get involved! Baby Rhino Rescue grew out of a similar encounter between BRR founder Helena Kriel and a rhino orphan. This compassionate response lies at the root of the successful relationship between BRR and Rhino Connect. What binds us is our commitment to rhino conservation. What differentiates us is that BRR is global and Rhino Connect works on the ground in South Africa.
Rhino Connect focuses on assisting private rhino owners who receive absolutely no support from the South African state, donors, or the non-profit world. Private rhino owners are now the custodians of around 75% of the world’s remaining rhinos. The costs are enormous and many private owners have gone bankrupt trying to save their rhinos! Rhino Connect is our conduit into this part of the rhino world and through this partnership we will know what is needed in real time and will react. Rhino Connect offers assistance for a wide range of projects including helicopter flying time, veterinary services, horn trimming, feed, moving rhinos, providing temporary security, and finding sanctuary for orphaned rhinos. Our support of Rhino Connect enables us to support the private rhino owners who are in large measure keeping the rhino safe.
To date, Baby Rhino Rescue has provided key support in a number of areas: