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!
09
Sep
2013
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.
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. 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.
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!
09
Sep
2013
Three One 2 One cafe in Richmond, Victoria (Australia) is matching all tips for the month of September for a donation to SAVE African Rhino Foundation!
Werribee Open Range Zoo will be running the following activities for World Rhino Day:
- Rhino Rap with Rap artist ‘Hugo’ and Zoo Member children will be written and recorded with an accompanying video clip prior to the event for showing on the day, and for weeks after;
- Rhino play with puppet theatre, rhino foot print stamps, baby toy rhinos to feed;
- Rhino information, jokes/riddles and messaging at our Safari Bus Station.
For more information:
- Werribee Open Range Zoo
- Zoos Victoria Facebook page
- @ZoosVictoria
- Zoos Victoria YouTube Channel
Taronga Western Plains Zoo, in Dubbo, NSW, Australia will be joining people across the globe to celebrate WORLD RHINO DAY 2013, over the weekend of 21st and 22nd September.
Taronga Western Plains Zoo’s visitors already support the zoo’s breeding programs for 3 of the world’s 5 rhino species. But by visiting us on the 21st and 22nd September, you can help out a little bit more …
Visitors can help us raise vital funds for our conservation partner, the International Rhino Foundation (IRF)!
- Enter the zoo and follow our ‘Rhino Trail’; discover more about the world’s rhinos
and what is being done to help them, at our special World Rhino Day keeper talks and
rhino feeds! - Lucky guests of our Wild Africa Encounter, Billabong Camp or Zoofari experiences
will get the chance to see some of our resident rhinos up close, and discover more
about their conservation. - Visitors have the chance to WIN a Wild Africa Encounter for 4 people! PLUS the Zoo’s Education department will also be running rhino themed classes and‘Zoo Adventures’, there will be donation buckets at the ‘Jump for Rhinos!’ jumping castle, and ‘Munch for Rhinos!’ Munch Mobile, and staff will be raising extra money with raffles and rhino crafts!
Can’t visit us that weekend? Don’t worry, as our ‘Rhino Trail’ is also online!
Sharing links, photos and stories via social media is proving invaluable as a way of spreading the word and raising awareness. So look out for more rhino keeper blogs on our website (www.taronga.org.au) and on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/TarongaWesternPlainsZoo).
16
Oct
2012
A HUGE thank you to everyone who sent us their World Rhino Day photos for this year’s compilation video!
“World Rhino Day 2012: Five Rhino Species Forever!” which features the happenings in 15 countries on 22 September 2012 — World Rhino Day! Enjoy!
02
Oct
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 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.
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.
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.
The event was organized by the National Parks of Zimbabwe, joined by Save Valley Conservancy, Tikki Hywood Trust, Imire Game Park, and others.
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.”
One of the most well-known events is Skydive for Rhinos, which was joined by Rhino Africa and several others in an amazing World Rhino Day fundraising effort.
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.
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.
Dr. Bibhab Talukdar, Asian Rhino Advisor of the International Rhino Foundation, delivered the presentation, while Dr. Anil Kr. Goswami, Former Member Secretary of WWF-India, Assam chapter presided over the function.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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+.
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.
- Dublin Zoo raised funds on World Rhino Day for the Lowveld Rhino Trust in Zimbabwe.
- 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.
- The Zoological Center Tel Aviv-Ramat Gan- Israel, which currently holds ten rhinos, plans to celebrate rhino day on the coming Jewish holiday of “Sukkot” for almost a week!
- The Bay Islands College of Diving went “Diving for Rhinos.”
The African Conservation Foundation released the following video:
http://youtu.be/AoRs66lX4cI
This heartfelt video was posted by Nikela.org:
And on a lighter note:
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 battle
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.
In India, 14 rhinos have been been gunned down, while 17 were reportedly killed this year in Zimbabwe.
Originally published 09/27/2012 as World Rhino Day 2012 Round Up by Rhishja Cota-Larson on Planetsave.
18
Sep
2012
This Saturday, September 22nd, marks the Third Annual World Rhino Day, with events planned all over the globe!
Be sure to check the World Rhino Day Facebook page and the World Rhino Day Event Map to find an event or add one of your own.
- World Rhino Day Events in South Africa
- World Rhino Day Events in Africa
- World Rhino Day Events in the United States
- World Rhino Day Events in Europe
- World Rhino Day Events in Australia and New Zealand
Join World Rhino Day on Facebook for the latest updates!
MORE World Rhino Day events are listed below:
Join World Rhino Day on Facebook for the latest updates!
12
Sep
2012
On the weekend of World Rhino Day (22 September), Skydive for Rhinos hits Cape Town.
SABC Morning Live have will be conducting their entire Saturday (World Rhino Day) show from the Skydive for Rhinos event and presenter Vaylen Kirtley will be skydiving for rhinos. There will be a pre-event broadcast on Friday (21 September) to showcase what everyone who participated in the Rustenburg, KZN and Port Elizabeth events have done for South Africa’s rhinos.
Ordinary South Africans from 16 to 77 years of age have come forward and are making a statement with Skydiving for Rhinos!
What’s it like to Skydive for Rhinos? Check out the video:
Learn more at the Skydive for Rhinos page on Facebook.
31
Aug
2012
Check out what people in Africa are doing for World Rhino Day! Join them if you can!
Kenya:
- The Laikipia Wildlife Forum has planned a “Save Our Rhinos Cycling Competition” and World Rhino Day celebration, which will kick of at 7:30 AM on 22 September. The event will benefit Laikipia rhino sanctuaries, such as the Ol Pejeta Conservancy.
- In celebration of Rhino Week leading up to the Big Day, Ol Pejeta Conservancy has waived entrance fees for 5 days giving local residents, many of whom have never seen rhinos, a chance to visit the conservancy and see their own heritage.
- Lewa Wildlife Conservancy has created a poster which can also be printed as a bumper sticker to help get the word out about the rhinos’ plight.
Namibia:
- Save the Rhino Trust plans to raise awareness with presentations, posters, and media announcements.
Zimbabwe:
- A parade followed by an address by the Minister of Environment and various entertainment and music will take place at Africa Unity Square, in Harare. The event is organized by the National Parks of Zimbabwe, joined by Save Valley Conservancy, Tikki Hywood Foundation, Environment Africa, Imire Game Park, and RIFA.
- Imire’s World Rhino Day events begin on Friday! Imire will be running an adult soccer and netball tournament for teams in the Imire and Wedza area. As well as raising awareness of World Rhino Day in the rural areas, the tournament is to further build relationships within the local community as well as teach the players about the work we do, help them recognise the need for conservation areas like Imire and show them how working together can benefit their communities.
Click here to see World Rhino Day events taking place in South Africa!
Hosting your own World Rhino Day event? Click here to add it to the official World Rhino Day event map!
31
Aug
2012
Check out what people in South Africa are doing for World Rhino Day! Join them if you can!
Durbanville Hills Race the Rhino, a mountain bike race organized by the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) will take place in Van Gaalen, Magaliesberg, Gauteng.- A three-course “Save the Rhino” menu with wine pairings will be held at Reuben’s, One & Only in Cape Town, with guest speaker Galeo Saintz.
- The Rhino Run, a countrywide trail running event organized by Sian O’Keeffe, Thandi Rhino Injection Fund, EWT, and MyPlanet Rhino Fund.
- The RhinoSerious campaign together with WESSA will be hosting a concert for conservation at Riverside Mall in Nelspruit to benefit anti-poaching efforts.
- A World Rhino Day Walk will take place in George (Western Cape), starting on York Street, and is organized by Facebook groups Save Our Rhino and Outraged South African Citizens Against Poaching.
- “I Will Be Your Voice” is holding a World Rhino Day celebration on 18 September that will include an art auction, live music, and a three course dinner. The event will benefit Chipembere Rhino Foundation.
- FedGroup Berg & Bush will celebrate World Rhino Day with a mountain bike race through KwaZulu-Natal on Saturday, 22 September, which will benefit Spioenkop Game Reserve’s 28 white rhinos.Part of the race will actually cross through the reserve in an area where rhinos might be seen!
- Rhino Africa will also be organizing an event, so be sure to keep an eye on their Facebook page.
- Click here to see World Rhino Day events taking place elsewhere in Africa!
Hosting your own World Rhino Day event? Click here to add it to the official World Rhino Day event map!
08
Aug
2012
Are you looking for ideas about how to celebrate World Rhino Day on September 22nd?
Here are a few ideas from previous World Rhino Days to get your creative juices flowing!
The Zimbabwe National Parks hosted an amazing parade and celebrations for World Rhino Day 2011! Music played a pivotal role in the event. The parade was led by the police band. The celebration was enriched by the nation’s favourite musician, Oliver Mutukudzi, who had dignitaries and crowds bopping for rhinos!
Students also performed their own song “Join Hands to Save the Rhino” with youthful free-style spoken word.
The Minister of Environment, Francis Nhema, gave an inspirational speech demonstrating Zimbabwe’s commitment to rhino conservation and strongly promoting the message “Rhino Horn is NOT Medicine”.
Zimbabwe schoolchildren enjoyed a video of “The Rhino Song” and celebrated World Rhino Day with art, videos and creative writing.
Take it to the streets
In London, Save the Rhino International took it to the streets and held a peaceful protest in front of the Vietnamese Embassy. Wearing rhino costumes and carrying placards, the team showed off jars of human toenails, to emphasize the fact that consuming rhino horn has no more medicinal value than chewing a toenail.
Photos from Save the Rhino International’s event can be seen here.
And of course, there was a ton of support for South Africa’s iconic pachyderms on World Rhino Day.
An enthusiastic gathering in Cape Town attracted hundreds of people, thanks to the efforts of Rhino Africa Safaris and other local businesses.
Rhinos on the airwaves
In Nepal, Partnership for Rhino Conservation (PARC/Nepal) arranged a TV and radio broadcast to celebrate the country’s first World Rhino Day in 2011.
Learn more about the grassroots organization PARC/Nepal here.
Hold an art contest and auction
Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in Texas celebrated World Rhino Day by hosting an art contest for local schoolchildren, and selling the art on September 22nd at Hollywood and Vine restaurant in Glen Rose.
All proceeds from the art show and a portion of the proceeds from the dinners served on World Rhino Day went to Fossil Rim’s rhino program!
Social media
TRAFFIC Southeast Asia featured rhinos throughout the month of September for its social media campaign.
Education for Nature-Vietnam (ENV), a local NGO, launched an online campaign for World Rhino Day on the ENV Volunteer Network page on Facebook, which is in Vietnamese.
An article about rhino conservation and World Rhino Day (“Hưởng ứng ngày quốc tế bảo vệ Tê giác”) which discourages the use of rhino horn – pointing out that it is both unnecessary and illegal – is posted on the page. Read it here.
In addition, an album entitled “Sừng tê giác không phải thuốc trị bệnh” (“Rhino horn is not medicine”) featuring Vietnamese language posters was created. URLS for downloading the posters are included. View the album here.
Go climb a rock!
The Asian Rhino Project in Australia raised funds with a “Rock Climbing for Rhinos” event. Participants tested their skill in the indoor comfort of Rockface in Perth, and also enjoyed a barbecue.
(Be sure to check out the International Rhino Foundation for more great ideas!)