Did you know that, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society, an average of 96 elephants are killed every day, for a jaw-dropping total of 35,000 per year? Meanwhile, more than 1000 rhinos were poached and killed last year—the Western Black rhino is now officially extinct. This is exactly why the Wildlife Conservation Society named its new conservation coalition 96 Elephants. From safari camps and zoos, to ad agencies and hotels, companies around the world are joining the cause, and making a day-to-day effort to stop elephant killings. They’re working together to lobby the government, raise public awareness and raise funds for elephant conservation and research. Of course, individuals are also encouraged to join the effort in saving these endangered animals.
There are only approximately 29,000 rhinos in the wild today and most of them live in South Africa. According to the Wilderness Foundation, 448 rhinos were poached in 2011. To fight against this, the Forever Wild Rhino Protection Initiative was launched in 2011. It is an international campaign to raise awareness and stop black market horn trafficking. Shamwari Safaries in South Africa is another conservation group, built on protection and education of the African wildlife. Three Shamwari Group properties have raised $7 million African Rand, which is more than $650,000, for the Forever Wild Campaign since 2012. In the United States, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park has built the world’s most successful captive rhino breeding program. Their interactive safaris allow people to see rhinos up close and even feed the babies. This takes “raising awareness” to a personal level which will hopefully inspire many people to help save this magnificent animal.
More information on Forever Wild’s conservation efforts can be found at Forever Wild. To sign the anti-ivory pledge, go to 96 Elephants.
