What does the relocation of rhino’s have to do with ESG?
Sustainable Development Goal 15: Life on Land states:
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- Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species.
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- Take Urgent action to end poaching and trafficking of protected species of flora and fauna and address both demand and supply of illegal wildlife products.
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- Enhance global support for efforts to combat poaching and trafficking of protected species, including by increasing the capacity of local communities to pursue sustainable livelihood opportunities.
I was moved and heartened earlier this week to see that African Parks[1] has successfully relocated white rhinos to Garamba National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. For almost 2 decades Garamba has had no signs of the species. Reintroducing the white rhinos enables the long-term conservation of rhinos by creating a safe environment where they can breed and be monitored.
Why did this story move me? In 2015 my family and I had the privilege to visit Nakuru National Park in Kenya. The guide told us at the time there were 10 white rhinos in the park. After 2 days of safari drives, we had not seen the rhino at all, and as our trip was coming to an end, I had a dark feeling of never being able to see the rhino in a natural habitat, as my thoughts were overshadowed by its status of “critically endangered.”
As the safari evening drive was wrapping up, we were hugely fortunate and glad to then see all 10 of the white rhinos together that evening by the lake. The guide also told us it was rare for the 10 to be seen together, which made the experience all the more surreal. I was overwhelmed with emotion at seeing them, understanding they are endangered and that so few of them remain on our planet.
So, as I read the story from African Parks about the relocation of the white rhinos to Garamba, I was again overcome with emotion, remembering the moment I saw them at Nakuru, being thankful that I have been fortunate to see them in their natural habitat, and a reminder that we have a long way to go in achieving SDG Goal 15.
(Note: Other than being a subscriber to African Parks email list, we have no affiliation with the organisation.)
[1] African Parks is an NGO that works in collaboration with governments and local communities to rehabilitate and manage national parks.