#GivingTuesday – Help Us Protect South Africa’s Remaining Rhino

Not merely a day in the calendar, but a global movement, #GivingTuesday, 30 November, marks the time of year where many people around the globe support causes close to their hearts – that they believe are worthy and that inspire a collective spirit of generosity. This Giving Tuesday, Singita is putting the spotlight on rhino conservation efforts and asking you to help us continue supporting organisations doing this crucial work. 

Singita and its non-profit partners across Africa have been committed to the protection and preservation of the continent’s myriad species over the last three decades. From threatened cats and large mammals to critically endangered bird species, our ongoing support of the conservation initiatives in the regions in which we operate aims to maintain the integrity of these wilderness areas, and their biodiversity for the benefit of future generations. 

Rhino populations in particular face challenges in their fight for survival. The scourge of poaching continues to escalate across the continent, with the Greater Kruger National Park region of South Africa – home to the largest population across Africa (more than 80%) – currently bearing the brunt of a relentless onslaught from organised crime syndicates. More than 10,000 rhino have been lost to poaching in the region in the last 10 years.

A multipronged approach sees projects and programmes working to address various aspects of conservation. These encompass the extensive Anti-Poaching initiatives, as well as the re-introduction and translocation of rhino - resulting in the successful establishment of new satellite populations, and viable, growing numbers of rhino across the region. 

The Singita Lowveld Trust – our non-profit conservation partner in South Africa – supports the ongoing conservation management of our reserves in Singita Sabi Sand and Singita Kruger National Park. In this region, their initiatives primarily take the form of wildlife protection efforts (implemented by the Anti-Poaching and Canine units), to safeguard rhino and many other species in these landscapes.

In South Africa, Singita operates in two key high-density rhino areas – Singita Sabi Sand and Singita Kruger National Park. The goal is simple: to make the region the most difficult and least profitable place to infiltrate - for the poaching of any species, but especially rhino. The Anti-Poaching and Canine units operate with relentless dedication and commitment, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to safeguard wildlife.

In our efforts to remain ahead of the curve, the Singita Lowveld Trust needs to be at the cutting-edge and informed. This requires continuous research, state-of-the-art technology and extensive manpower. As poachers' tactics change and technology advances, we too need to continue to evolve to meet the challenge. This requires constant upgrades to the equipment and infrastructure relied on (to monitor activity, deter incursions and facilitate early detection and rapid response).

These investments in conservation yield game-changing results – and these efforts have proven to be highly effective. Good rates of early detection and follow-up on incursions have prevented poaching to a large extent on our South Africa properties in the past five years.

Please consider supporting the wide-ranging initiatives managed by the Singita Lowveld Trust to keep their highly trained and specialised Canine and ground patrol teams one step ahead of the ever-increasing poaching pressure in this region. 

Immediate needs to advance their capabilities to protect rhino populations

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