Passionate about the plight of our rhinos

CARE for Wild rhino sanctuary npc containing a grey circle with a white rhino drawn inside it standing on a green square, with the words "CARE for Wild rhino sanctuary npc" written below it

South Africa is at the centre of the battlefield of rhino conservation. 451 rhinos were killed in 2021 alone, and the Kruger National Park has lost about 70% of its rhino population in the last 10 years. In the next 10 years, it’s estimated that rhinos face extinction.

Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary is an organisation that Pan African Resources has partnered with to ensure that this does not happen. Based in the Barberton Mountain Lands, it is the largest orphaned rhino sanctuary in the world, and specialises in the rescue, rehabilitation, rewilding, release and protection of black and white rhinos.

It does so with an emphasis on local, rural communities of Barberton and empowering them to fulfil their responsibilities as custodians of the environment, supporting youth employment, skills and economic development and food security.

In sharing these same environmental and social values, Pan African is honoured to partner with an organisation that can make a real impact in areas we care deeply about, and help us realise our ESG ambitions.

How we get involved

For nearly two years, we’ve sponsored the ongoing care and rehabilitation of three orphaned rhinos that were rescued from the Kruger National Park after their mothers were poached. Meet Genesis, Cotton and Yster!

Genesis

The oldest of this group is Genesis, who, though just a little over four years old, already weighs 1 160 kg! He’s been at the sanctuary for almost four years, and in that time has developed from a shy and distrustful calf to a strong and confident juvenile, with all the traits of a future dominant breeding bull one day. Already in rewilding since 2020, Genesis can soon be released into protected areas and becomes part of viable breeding populations that could save the species from extinction.

Cotton

Cotton was rescued during the pandemic of 2020 when she wasn’t even a year old and still requiring a milk diet for another year. She had her first winter this year in the veld, away from the bomas. This is a critical part in the rewilding process as the rhinos learn to become less dependant on their human carers for food and strengthen their relationships with each other. Despite her young age, she acts as a motherly figure for other calves in the sanctuary and is feisty and protective of her rhino crash.

A woman is feeding a rhino milk from a bottle

Yster

Yster was rescued not long after Cotton in 2020, and has followed a similar journey towards successful rehabilitation. Like Cotton, he was weaned off milk in at the end of 2021, and is now comfortable sleeping in his camp in the veld away from humans. In mid-2022, he was also closing in on that one tonne mark at 977 kg!

By providing the care they need, we can support them in becoming the rhinos they were always supposed to be. To enable them to become part of viable, protected breeding populations that will secure the future of this iconic species.

A man wearing a cap and holding a bottle sitting in a large black tire, smiling at a baby rhino

Protecting Barberton’s natural environment

The Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary is part of the 28 000-ha Barberton Nature Reserve, which Pan African Resources also partners to preserve and improve the unique Barberton biome. This ecologically rich area is a UNESCO world heritage site that’s home to about 80 endemic species of plants and wildlife.

Our biodiversity strategy in the area includes the removal of invasive species and the replanting of indigenous flora. This programme, which is achieved with the aid of non-profit environmental organisation Conservation Outcomes, has already achieved important biodiversity targets and rejuvenated many hectares of land to date.

Want to learn more about Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary? Visit their website.