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In the future, 2,000 white rhinos, an endangered species, will live on the huge property.
Published on September 4, 2023 10:44 p.m
Reading time: 1 min.
A white rhino photographed in the Pretoria region (South Africa), August 7, 2020. (MICHELE SPATARI / AFP)
After months of difficulties, the world’s largest rhino farm, founded by a millionaire in South Africa to protect the species from poaching, was finally purchased by the NGO African Parks on Monday September 4th.
This organization, with which Prince Harry of Sussex is associated, manages around twenty protected parks on the continent and now owns 7,800 hectares of land less than 200 km southwest of Johannesburg. Gradually, 2,000 white rhinos will be relocated there, representing about 15% of the global population of this species.
Breaking news: African Parks will release 2,000 southern white rhinos back into the wild over the next decade. We have acquired the world’s largest captive rhino breeding operation to release rhinos into safe and well-managed sanctuaries. More here: https://t.co/PdbzUWm1kX
— African Parks (@AfricanParks) September 4, 2023
A buyout for a confidential amount
This breeding farm was opened in 2009 by wealthy businessman John Hume, 81 years old. But overwhelmed by the exorbitant cost of his huge project, he put his property up for auction in April and said he was looking for another “millionaire” to take it over. “Rhino breeding is an expensive hobby,” the breeder admitted in an interview with AFP before the sale, adding that he had “run out of money.” The operation had already consumed more than a hundred million dollars.
African Parks CEO Peter Fearnhead, quoted in the press release, said he was fulfilling a “moral obligation to find a solution to these declining wildlife issues.” Although he originally “never intended to have a captive rhino breeding business and own 2,000 rhinos.” The NGO, which did not disclose the amount paid, received support from the South African government and conservation organizations as well as financial support for the takeover.
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