In a surprising turn of events, a rhino poacher in Indonesia just received a higher sentence than what prosecutors originally recommended. On June 5, 2024, the panel of judges at Pandeglang District Court declared defendant Sunendi guilty of poaching Javan rhinos and sentenced him to 12 years in prison and a fine of 100 million rupiah (~$6,130 USD). This sentence is particularly surprising considering most Indonesian court sentences are less than what the prosecutors recommend.
“This punishment won’t bring back the poached rhinos, but it sends a strong message and should act as a deterrent to anyone considering wildlife crime in Indonesia,” said Nina Fascione, Executive Director of the International Rhino Foundation.
IRF is closely monitoring this case and hope that justice is served to all criminals involved to prevent any future poaching attempts in Indonesia.
Our partners at the Lowveld Rhino Trust (LRT) just completed their biannual rhino management operations in Zimbabwe. In total, they identified 192 rhinos during the operations and confirmed twelve new calves! Eight black and four white rhinos. This brings the region to a new total rhino population of 309, the highest it has ever been.
The team is extremely thankful to you, our incredible donors, for the new camera, which is an excellent tool! The camera captures very clear images of moving animals which is especially helpful for cows with small calves as the team can get identifiable images from further away, putting less pressure on the pair reducing stress and separation risk.
CREATE YOUR LEGACY
Rhinos have walked the earth for more than 50 million years, and by including the International Rhino Foundation (IRF) in your will or other estate plans you will help us make sure these magnificent animals survive for generations to come.
Cincinnati Zoo Scientists Find Mineral Content in Rhino Horns Unlikely to Provide Human Health Benefits
A recent study led by Dr. Terri Roth, one of IRF's Executive Board Members, found that while there are minerals like calcium in rhino horns, they are in such low concentrations that it would be "implausible" for a human to see any health benefit from consuming rhino horn. Those horn samples also contained potentially toxic substances, like lead and arsenic - another reason to say no to consuming rhino horn. Hear more from Dr. Roth in this video.
Historic rewilding of 120 rhinos into the Greater Kruger National Park area
Environmental history was made on Friday 7 June 2024 when the last of 120 white rhinos was released into the network of private and communal reserves on the western border of the Kruger National Park. The operation was carried out under a strict veil of secrecy to ensure its security.
If you ever wanted to showcase your love of rhinos, now is the time! For a limited time all items in the shop are 50% off, except for our eco-print scarves.
