THE INTERNATIONAL RHINO FOUNDATION

ASIA/INDONESIA:IN ASIA, IRF CONTINUED ITS LONG-TERM COMMITMENT TO THE RECOVERY OF THE MOST ENDANGERED RHINO SPECIES. IN INDIA AND NEPAL, IRF SUPPORTED GRASSLAND RESTORATION, INVASIVE SPECIES REMOVAL AND CORRIDOR PROTECTION IN KEY PROTECTED AREAS INCLUDING CHITWAN NATIONAL PARK AND ASSAM'S LAOKHOWA-BURHACHAPORI WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES. THESE EFFORTS RESTORED HUNDREDS OF HECTARES OF HABITAT, SUPPORTED THE NATURAL MOVEMENT AND RETURN OF GREATER ONE-HORNED RHINOS TO HISTORIC RANGE AND ENGAGED LOCAL COMMUNITIES THROUGH EMPLOYMENT AND ALTERNATIVE LIVELIHOOD INITIATIVES LINKED TO CONSERVATION OUTCOMES.IN INDONESIA, IRF SUPPORTED BOTH INTENSIVE PROTECTION AND HABITAT RESTORATION FOR SUMATRAN AND JAVAN RHINOS. AT THE SUMATRAN RHINO SANCTUARY IN WAY KAMBAS NATIONAL PARK, IRF CONTINUED TO SUPPORT EXPERT CARE AND BREEDING EFFORTS FOR THE WORLD'S ONLY MANAGED SUMATRAN RHINO POPULATION WHILE PLANNING ADVANCED FOR A THIRD PHASE OF SANCTUARY EXPANSION TO INCREASE CAPACITY. IN SURROUNDING FOREST LANDSCAPES, IRF FUNDED LARGE-SCALE REFORESTATION AND HABITAT RESTORATION INCLUDING THE PLANTING OF MORE THAN 166,000 SEEDLINGS, RESULTING IN MEASURABLE ECOSYSTEM RECOVERY AND THE RETURN OF MULTIPLE WILDLIFE SPECIES. IRF ALSO WORKED WITH GOVERNMENT AND LOCAL PARTNERS TO STRENGTHEN SECURITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT FOLLOWING POACHING INCIDENTS AFFECTING THE CRITICALLY ENDANGERED JAVAN RHINO POPULATION, INCLUDING ASSESSMENTS AND IMPROVED PROTECTION STRATEGIES.

ZIMBABWE AND NAMIBIA: IN ZIMBABWE AND NAMIBIA, IRF SUPPORTED LONG-STANDING PARTNERS ENGAGED IN INTENSIVE MONITORING, BIOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT AND ANTI-POACHING OPERATIONS FOR BLACK AND WHITE RHINO POPULATIONS. IN ZIMBABWE, IRF-BACKED PROGRAMS IN THE LOWVELD REGION CONTINUED TO DEMONSTRATE POSITIVE POPULATION GROWTH, WITH LOW POACHING LOSSES AND STRONG CALF RECRUITMENT REPORTED AT KEY CONSERVANCIES. IN NAMIBIA, IRF PROVIDED EMERGENCY SUPPORT TO COUNTER POACHING THREATS INCLUDING FUNDING FOR DETECTION AND MONITORING EQUIPMENT AND SUPPORT FOR SPECIALIZED CONSERVATION UNITS OPERATING IN REMOTE RHINO RANGE AREAS.IRF ALSO ADVANCED STRATEGIC POPULATION EXPANSION THROUGH ITS AFRICAN RHINO RANGE EXPANSION FUND BY SUPPORTING TECHNICAL STUDIES, SECURITY INTERVENTIONS AND POPULATION MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES. THESE PROJECTS ARE DESIGNED TO ENABLE THE SAFE MOVEMENT AND ESTABLISHMENT OF RHINOS INTO SUITABLE, WELL-PROTECTED HABITATS, HELPING REDUCE PRESSURE ON OVERCROWDED SOURCE POPULATIONS AND STRENGTHEN LONG-TERM SPECIES RESILIENCE.