BRF Receives $60,000 Gift for Rhinowatch Program

CHICAGO, IL — The Black Rhino Foundation, Inc. (BRF), a non–profit focusing on the preservation of African wildlife, specifically the highly endangered black rhino, is pleased to announce a major gift of $60,000 has been received from an anonymous donor with a request the money be given to the Rhinowatch program.

Rhinowatch, based at Sinamatella Camp, Hwange, was established in 1991 to census and monitor black rhino populations in Zimbabwe in conjunction with the Department of National Parks & Wildlife Management. Since 1993, Rhinowatch has been developing a non-invasive and statistically reliable method of monitoring black rhino. Project CAMERA (Census And Monitoring Endangered Rhino using spoor Analysis) is based on the simple principle that individual black rhino have unique footprints (spoor). Combining modern technology with age old tracking knowledge provided by the scouts, CAMERA proves to be a reliable, cost–effective and sustainable monitoring method.

At present, the black rhino is on the brink of extinction. Over 90% of the species have been ruthlessly poached in the last 25 years. This is the fastest decline of any large mammal in recorded history. It is predicted that by the turn of the century the species will be extinct in the wild. The BRF is dedicated to promoting and encouraging the preservation of the black rhino in the wild.

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