Announcing IRF’s 2026 Research Grants

At the International Rhino Foundation (IRF), we believe that saving a species requires a balance of bold action on the ground and world-class science in the lab. Today, we are thrilled to announce a major milestone in that mission: IRF is awarding $250,000 to fund 11 groundbreaking research projects for 2026. As the only organization dedicated strictly to funding rhino research, we know that these grants are more than just data—they are lifelines.

These grants go beyond data collection; they target the most urgent hurdles facing rhinos and conservationists today, from the rising threat of climate change to the need for stress-free health monitoring. By investing in both applied research in the wild and innovative studies within managed care, we are equipping conservationists with the evidence-based tools needed to maintain healthy, self-sustaining rhino populations for generations to come.

“Research is the heartbeat of effective conservation,” said Nina Fascione, the International Rhino Foundation’s (IRF’s) executive director. “By investing $250,000 into these innovative research efforts, we are ensuring that conservation strategies are as resilient as the rhinos themselves.”

Below is a summary of the 2026 grant recipients, categorized under IRF’s three strategic conservation pillars defining the critical challenges they aim to solve:

Saving Rhinos

Photo: Lowveld Rhino Trust
  • Detectability of health biomarkers in saliva and nasal secretions of managed rhinoceros
    • Brief: Developing a stress-free health monitoring system by identifying biomarkers in rhino saliva and nasal secretions to reduce the need for risky sedation.
    • Location: Cincinnati, Ohio 
    • Collaborating Organizations: Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens, Center for Conservation & Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW)
  • Characterization of the gastrointestinal microbiome of greater one-horned rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) in North American zoos
    • Brief: Investigating the rhino gut microbiome to identify the causes of chronic digestive disease and improve the survival rates of rhinos in managed care.
    • Location: San Diego, California
    • Collaborating Organizations: San Diego Zoo Safari Park
  • Strengthening management for the world’s largest meta-population of black rhinos 2.0.
    • Brief: Utilizing advanced population simulation models to optimize management strategies and strategic range expansion for the world’s largest black rhino meta-population.
    • Location: Namibia
    • Collaborating Organizations: Minnesota Zoo Foundation, Save the Rhino Trust, Namibia Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Conservation Planning Specialist Group (CBSG)
  • Extending parentage analysis of black rhinoceros generations in the Lowveld, Zimbabwe, to inform broader genetic management of the species
    • Brief: Extending parentage and pedigree analysis in Zimbabwe to track genetic diversity and prevent the long-term risks of inbreeding in small populations.
    • Location: Zimbabwe
    • Collaborating Organizations: North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Lowveld Rhino Trust
  • Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Drone-Based Rhino Monitoring at Kwandwe Private Game Reserve
    • Brief: Establishing a standardized “Standard Operating Procedure” (SOP) for drone-based monitoring to provide a more efficient, cost-effective and less intrusive way to track and protect rhino populations in the field.
    • Location: South Africa
    • Collaborating Organizations: Kwandwe Private Game Reserve
  • A new genome assembly and reference imputation panel for genomic monitoring of the eastern black rhinoceros in Kenya
    • Brief: This project will assemble a chromosome-scale reference genome and build an imputation panel from high-coverage sequencing data that captures genetic diversity across Kenya’s black rhino metapopulation, enabling reliable genotype imputation from low-coverage data. By delivering a high-quality reference genome, a validated imputation panel, and a full population-genomic appraisal of Kenya’s black rhinos, this project will provide conservation managers with powerful, cost-effective tools for genomic monitoring.
    • Location: Kenya
    • Collaborating Organizations: Wildlife Research and Training Institute (WRTI, Kenya), University of Edinburgh, Kenya Wildlife Service
  • Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros Conservation in Nepal: Advancing Population Monitoring through Portable Nanopore DNA Sequencing Technology
    • Brief: Piloting portable “Nanopore” DNA sequencing to provide a safer, high-tech, and cost-effective way to track rhino populations through dung samples.
    • Location: Nepal
    • Collaborating Organizations: Oregon State University, National Trust for Nature Conservation

Protecting Habitats

  • Understanding the Nutritional Ecology of Eastern Black Rhinos (Diceros bicornis michaeli) at Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Kenya
    • Brief: By using fecal DNA and satellite mapping at Kenya’s Ol Pejeta Conservancy, this study identifies the specific nutritional needs and habitat preferences required to boost birth rates and ensure the long-term survival of the Eastern black rhino.
    • Location: Kenya
    • Collaborating Organizations: Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Wildlife Research and Training Institute, Iowa State University
  • Integrated Assessment of Climate Change Impacts, Habitat Suitability, and Invasive Species Dynamics of the Greater One-Horned Rhino with Youth Engagement in Orang National Park, Assam, India
    • Brief: Using drones and satellite imagery to map invasive plants and identify “climate refuges” where rhinos can safely weather changing rainfall patterns.
    • Location: India
    • Collaborating Organizations: Mangaldai College, Aaranyak
  • Assessing Climate Change Impacts on Floodplain Habitats: A Conservation Policy Framework for Kaziranga’s Rhinos (Rhinoceros unicornis)
    • Brief: Strengthening Kaziranga’s climate–habitat monitoring capacity and generating evidence on how climate-driven threats influence rhino habitat quality and movement. 
    • Location: India
    • Collaborating Organizations: Aaranyak

Engaging People

  • Mapping human-rhino conflicts and identifying strategies to promote co-existence in Chitwan, Nepal
    • Brief: Mapping a decade of conflict data in Chitwan to design evidence-based, community-led programs that foster peaceful coexistence between people and recovering rhino populations.
    • Location: Nepal
    • Collaborating Organizations: Greenhood Nepal

Undertaking both applied and basic research on wild rhino populations, as well as those in captive breeding programs, is an essential aspect of rhino conservation. For more information on rhino science, please visit our webpage here.