Protect and Save the life of Our Rhinos

Dear Supporter, 

Under the threat of poaching, reserves will go to extreme measures to keep their rhinos safe. A few years ago Karongwe made the decision to dehorn all of their rhinos, in an effort to discourage poachers by making less of a reward available to anyone who risks trying to poach.

As a rhino’s horn grows constantly – just like our hair and fingernails – dehorning must be done every couple of years, and recently the reserve repeated dehorning on some of its rhinos which were due. GVI were asked to assist in the process so it was all hands on deck. The immobilised animals need to be kept in an upright position and can’t lean on one side for too long or they will injure their legs, which means the 1.5-tonne rhino must be supported and occasionally rolled from one side to the other - no easy task, even with a dozen people helping.

Although everyone was happy to help, it was also a sobering reality check. The image of a defenseless rhino having its horn removed with a chainsaw is not easy to forget and some can find the experience difficult to process at first. But all agree it isn’t the dehorning that’s upsetting, but the fact that this is the length we must go to if we want to protect these vulnerable animals.

Sadly, even after being dehorned a rhino can still fall victim to poachers. Because the base contains nerves and blood vessels it’s not possible to safely remove the entire horn and even the small amount that remains is worth an extraordinary amount on the black market. This is why, despite an entirely dehorned rhino population, Karongwe’s anti-poaching unit can never rest easy and know that the rhinos are safe, and must continuously monitor for poaching activity.

The GVI Trust is fully committed to helping these efforts, including recently funding vital repairs to anti-poaching vehicles so that the team don’t lose their ability to respond to threats quickly. Whether with funds raised from our amazing supporters, or by getting dirty and tired in hands-on tasks, we will do whatever we can to keep these incredible animals safe for another generation.

Thank you, as always, for your ongoing support.

The Karongwe Team