70 rhinos reared at controversial South African captive breeding farm set free

Transporting the world's second largest land mammal halfway across the second largest continent isn't exactly easy.
But in a 3,400-kilometer (2,100-mile) journey that involved crates, cranes, trucks, and a Boeing 747, 70 captive bred southern white rhinos were moved from South Africa to Rwanda's Akagera National Park in early June as part of an initiative to 'rewild' them.
'Moving 70 rhinos across the continent is high-risk stuff,' Martin Rickelton, the head of translocations for African Parks, told CNN. So far, the animals appear to be doing well in their new home. 'All reports are good,' Rickelton adds.
The creatures, which can weigh over 2,000 kilograms (more than 4,000 pounds), originated from a controversial breeding program started in the 1990s by property developer John Hume.
Hume, who spent years lobbying for the legalization of the rhino horn trade, amassed stockpiles of horn, obtained by trimming them without harming the animals, with the aim of flooding the market to driver poachers out of business and to fund conservation efforts.
But he ran out of money, and with the horn trade still banned under international law, he put the rhinos up for sale in 2023. He told Agence France-Presse (AFP) at the time that he'd spent around $150 million on the project – with surveillance being the largest cost. 'I'm left with nothing except 2,000 rhinos and 8,000 hectares (20,000 acres) of land.'
He didn't receive a single bid. African Parks — a conservation nonprofit that manages 23 protected areas across the continent — stepped in to acquire for an undisclosed sum what was the largest rhino captive breeding operation in the world, with plans to 'rewild' the animals over 10 years.
The translocation marked the first cross-continental move for African Parks' Rhino Rewild initiative.
'It's a very important milestone,' says Taylor Tench, a senior wildlife policy analyst at the nonprofit Environmental Investigation Agency US, who wasn't involved in the relocation. 'This is definitely a big development with respect to African Parks' efforts.'
Today, there remain only about 17,000 southern white rhinos in Africa and they're classified as 'near threatened' on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List. That means the 2,000 southern white rhinos that African Parks bought, and plans to spread around the continent, comprise more than 10% of the remaining population.
Although the international trade of rhino horn has been banned under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) since 1977, demand from consumers in Asia who see it as a status symbol, or falsely believe it can cure ailments ranging from hangovers to cancer, is still driving poaching.
Poachers sometimes kill a rhino outright, or tranquilize it before cutting off its horn, sometimes hacking off a large portion of the animal's face, leaving it bleeding to death.
In South Africa, where the majority of the population lives, 420 rhinos were poached in 2024. More than 100 were killed in the first three months of this year.
Tench says that rhino poaching was rampant in the continent from 2012 to 2015, and a 'lot has been accomplished since then.' He added that Kenya lost no rhinos last year and that poaching has dropped significantly in Zimbabwe. Today, poaching is mostly concentrated in South Africa and Namibia, he says.
To better address the issue, Tench says more government resources should be dedicated to addressing the organized criminal networks behind the poaching and international trading of rhino horn, and to increased international cooperation.
Rickelton says there are a number of future relocation projects in various stages of discussion and planning. He adds that a strong framework is in place to ensure the locations that receive the rhinos provide a suitable habitat, security to keep the animals safe, and enough funding to care for them.
The move to Akagera National Park took more than a year and a half of planning and approvals. And the cost of moving each rhino, including three years of monitoring and management afterwards, is about $50,000 (the move was backed by the Howard G. Buffet Foundation).
The animals were first moved from the breeding program facility to the South African private game reserve Munywana Conservancy, to expose them to conditions more like Akagera. Then, the rhinos were loaded into individual steel crates, driven to an airport in Durban, South Africa, and carefully loaded by crane onto a Boeing 747.
After arrival in Kigali, Rwanda, the rhinos made the final leg of their journey by road. Now, the rhinos need to adapt to their new environment. They'll be monitored by a veterinary team for several weeks.
Measures like a canine unit to reduce poaching are in place in Akagera, which has reduced poaching to 'near zero' levels, according to the park.
There's reason for optimism. In 2021, African Parks moved 30 rhinos to Akagera from a private game reserve in South Africa. Since, they've had 11 offspring. With the addition of 70 more rhinos, 'we've now established a genetically viable herd of rhino,' says Rickelton.
He says that seeing the rhinos emerge from their crates at the end of the journey 'makes months and months of really hard work and frustration and challenges really worth it.' Rickelton adds: 'It's a story of hope in a world of not too much positive.'

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Associated Press

37 minutes ago

• Associated Press

mRNA Technology Transfer Programme's Phase 2.0 discussed with partners on the sidelines of G20 Summit

With the G20 Health Working Group, global health leaders are coming together to set the foundation for a new phase of the mRNA Technology Transfer Programme 'This is a unique opportunity, driven by the pandemic. The foundations are in place — but without sustained political will, the promise of equitable mRNA access could slip through our fingers.'— Charles Gore, Executive Director of the Medicines Patent Pool JOHANNESBURG, GAUTENG, SOUTH AFRICA, June 20, 2025 / / -- In parallel with the G20 Health Working Group, global health leaders are coming together in Johannesburg to set the foundation for a new phase of the mRNA Technology Transfer Programme – a pioneering initiative transitioning from proof of concept to sustainable, commercially viable manufacturing, while enhancing pandemic preparedness and regional health security. Launched in 2021 by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP), with the support of the Government of South Africa, France, Belgium, Canada, the European Union, Germany and Norway, the Programme has successfully enabled 15 Partners across Latin America, Africa, Eastern Europe and Asia to receive foundational mRNA technology. Now, it is moving into Phase 2.0 (2026–2030), with the aim of empowering regional manufacturers to scale up commercially sustainable production of mRNA-based vaccines and therapeutics at Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)-grade. 'The mRNA Technology Transfer Programme is delivering on its promise to build capabilities in low- and middle-income countries,' said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. 'The Pandemic Agreement adopted by the World Health Assembly also includes legally-binding commitments to strengthen local production. We must now translate those commitments into capacity on the ground, so that when the next pandemic strikes, we meet it more equitably and more effectively.' 'This is a unique opportunity, driven by the pandemic. The foundations are in place — but without sustained political will, the promise of equitable mRNA access could slip through our fingers.' said Charles Gore, Executive Director of the Medicines Patent Pool. 'What we need now is the courage to build on our investment to date, to align, and to realise the full value and impact of what we started.' From technology access to market-ready solutions The Programme is moving from focus on technology acquisition to defining how each partner will translate it into real-world impact. Each manufacturer is now focused on developing an economic case for long-term, flexible, and commercially viable manufacturing — with the capacity to produce mRNA vaccines in inter-pandemic periods and pivoting rapidly in response to future health emergencies. Product focus areas include: mRNA vaccines – for pandemic and priority diseases (e.g., influenza, TB, HIV, malaria, dengue, leishmaniasis); mRNA therapeutics – such as oncology and monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatments; and Biologicals beyond mRNA – including near-term commercial products to support facility viability. 'We have successfully progressed with the technology transfer to eight Partners — a testament to the strength and openness of this platform,' said Prof. Petro Terblanche, CEO of Afrigen Biologics. 'What comes next is even more exciting: Afrigen is on the cusp of receiving GMP accreditation, positioning us not only as a technology originator but as a sustainable manufacturing and innovation partner for the Global South. We will continue to work with local and global partners on the development of new vaccines prioritizing the burden of disease in LMICs.' A diversity of models, one global goal The Programme's Phase 2.0 recognises that there is no one-size-fits-all model. Manufacturers will develop tailored business strategies based on national health needs and policy, regulatory maturity and regional market dynamics. Some, like Bio-Manguinhos and Sinergium in Latin America, BioFarma in Indonesia, and Biovac in South Africa, are already piloting investment roadmaps with detailed market, regulatory, and COGS (cost of goods sold) modelling. Others will receive bespoke support to develop their investment cases. Crucially, sustainability will depend on country and regional-level procurement commitments, pooled purchasing mechanisms, and cross-border alignment — especially in Africa and Asia, where national markets alone may be insufficient to support GMP-level manufacturing scale. 'We need to back science with smart policy,' said Dr Mmboneni Muofhe of South Africa's Department of Science, Technology and Innovation. 'This is about creating a new ecosystem for public health security, grounded in regional ownership, long-term strategy and investments.' Rising demand meets structural barriers While market opportunities for mRNA vaccines and therapeutics are growing — from seasonal influenza and HPV to innovative cancer treatments — the Programme acknowledges structural hurdles: Misinformation and vaccine hesitancy; Shifting donor funding priorities that reduce funding availability; High clinical trial costs; and Need for supportive policies and well-defined procurement pathways. The mRNA Programme highlights both the growing interest in regional R&D consortia focused on target diseases of regional relevance like leishmaniasis and malaria, and the drive to advance next-generation technologies focusing on dose sparing, reduced cost of goods and thermostability. Edwin Reichel Flow Communications +27 114404841 email us here Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.

Yahoo

3 hours ago

• Yahoo

Investors in Master Drilling Group (JSE:MDI) have seen splendid returns of 212% over the past five years

The most you can lose on any stock (assuming you don't use leverage) is 100% of your money. But when you pick a company that is really flourishing, you can make more than 100%. One great example is Master Drilling Group Limited (JSE:MDI) which saw its share price drive 170% higher over five years. On top of that, the share price is up 20% in about a quarter. Now it's worth having a look at the company's fundamentals too, because that will help us determine if the long term shareholder return has matched the performance of the underlying business. Trump has pledged to "unleash" American oil and gas and these 15 US stocks have developments that are poised to benefit. To paraphrase Benjamin Graham: Over the short term the market is a voting machine, but over the long term it's a weighing machine. One imperfect but simple way to consider how the market perception of a company has shifted is to compare the change in the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price movement. During five years of share price growth, Master Drilling Group achieved compound earnings per share (EPS) growth of 2.7% per year. We do note that extraordinary items have impacted its earnings history. This EPS growth is lower than the 22% average annual increase in the share price. So it's fair to assume the market has a higher opinion of the business than it did five years ago. And that's hardly shocking given the track record of growth. The company's earnings per share (over time) is depicted in the image below (click to see the exact numbers). Dive deeper into Master Drilling Group's key metrics by checking this interactive graph of Master Drilling Group's earnings, revenue and cash flow. It is important to consider the total shareholder return, as well as the share price return, for any given stock. Whereas the share price return only reflects the change in the share price, the TSR includes the value of dividends (assuming they were reinvested) and the benefit of any discounted capital raising or spin-off. So for companies that pay a generous dividend, the TSR is often a lot higher than the share price return. As it happens, Master Drilling Group's TSR for the last 5 years was 212%, which exceeds the share price return mentioned earlier. The dividends paid by the company have thusly boosted the total shareholder return. It's nice to see that Master Drilling Group shareholders have received a total shareholder return of 36% over the last year. Of course, that includes the dividend. Since the one-year TSR is better than the five-year TSR (the latter coming in at 26% per year), it would seem that the stock's performance has improved in recent times. Given the share price momentum remains strong, it might be worth taking a closer look at the stock, lest you miss an opportunity. While it is well worth considering the different impacts that market conditions can have on the share price, there are other factors that are even more important. Even so, be aware that Master Drilling Group is showing 2 warning signs in our investment analysis , you should know about... If you are like me, then you will not want to miss this free list of undervalued small caps that insiders are buying. Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on South African exchanges. — Investing narratives with Fair Values Vita Life Sciences Set for a 12.72% Revenue Growth While Tackling Operational Challenges By Robbo – Community Contributor Fair Value Estimated: A$2.42 · 0.1% Overvalued Vossloh rides a €500 billion wave to boost growth and earnings in the next decade By Chris1 – Community Contributor Fair Value Estimated: €78.41 · 0.1% Overvalued Intuitive Surgical Will Transform Healthcare with 12% Revenue Growth By Unike – Community Contributor Fair Value Estimated: $325.55 · 0.6% Undervalued View more featured narratives — Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Bloomberg

4 hours ago

• Bloomberg

Toyota Files $361 Million South Africa Flood Damage Lawsuit: BD

Toyota Motors Corp. has brought a lawsuit for 6.5 billion rand ($361 million) in a South African court for 2022 flood damages that shuttered its plant near Durban, Business Day reported. The claim against Transnet SOC Ltd., the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport and eThekwini Municipality has been brought in the high court in Durban by Toyota South Africa Motors' insurer, Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance.