Rhino 911 rhino, a non-profit rhino conservation organisation, from the Brits area already had to save four rhino calves whose mothers had been poached in the North West since the Covid-19 lockdown started in March.
“The calves, ranging from two weeks old to just under a year, were flown out to the rhino orphanage in the North West,” said Nico Jacobs, founder of Rhino 911. A total of six rhinos have been killed during the lockdown so far.
Rhino 911 received the Rhino Conservation Supporter Award in 2019 for their work supporting rhino conservation in the North West Province. The organisation is run by Nico and his wife, Leoni, Brits veterinarian Gerhardus Scheepers and Adam Fowles.
The organisation is run from the Jacobs’ farm just outside Brits. Nico, a helicopter pilot, who has been assisting the nature conservation department for the past 15 years, founded the organisation four years ago in order to assist in the conservation of the threatened rhino in the country. “It enabled us to raise fund for rhino conservation in order to treat the animals and support the orphanage where the calves are looked after,” Nico said.
Rhino 911 rents a helicopter for their rescue operations.
“Although we do get called out to other provinces in the country, we focus on North West.
For more information on Rhino 911, and to support them, visit the Rhino 911 Facebook page.