ANNUAL REPORT | 2014 LEADERSHIP MESSAGE BOARD OF DIRECTORS STAFF ADVISORY BOARD VOLUNTEERS For nearly 25 years, the International Rhino Foundation translocations of rhinos, support for anti-poaching and has protected and conserved rhinos in areas where they informant systems, and supporting legal actions against are most in need of attention and where our investments poachers - all in the face of enormously challenging Rick Barongi Olivier Pagan Susie Ellis, PhD Clare Campbell IRF is able to keep costs to a minimum in conservation will have the greatest impact. Our core economic and political conditions. Houston Zoo Zoo Basel Executive Director Asian Rhino Project because much of our administrative and Houston, Texas, USA Switzerland Strasburg, Virginia, USA Perth, Australia values of hard work, partnership, passion, and optimism creative support is donated pro bono. IRF Vice President for Africa Programs are at the heart of everything we do. In Asia, we have good news and bad news. This year’s Joseph Christman Randy Rieches Natasha Anderson Amira Cook Disney’s Animal Kingdom camera trap data for critically endangered Javan rhinos, Lee M. Bass San Diego Zoo Safari Park Loweld Rhino Trust The Bass Companies Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA Lee M. Bass, Inc. Escondido, California, USA Monitoring Coordinator Fort Worth, Texas USA The poaching crisis in Africa reached a 20-year high this compiled and analyzed by Ujung Kulon National Park Fort Worth, Texas, USA Harare, Zimbabwe Cathy Dean year with 1,215 animals lost in South Africa alone. The experts and validated by the IUCN Asian Rhino Specialist Park will be moved to the Laokhowa-Burachapori Wildlife IRF Treasurer Terri Roth, PhD Adam Eyres Rahul Dutta Save the Rhino Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens Fossil Rim Wildlife Center horrors of these killings strengthen our resolve and Group, show that there are between 58 and 61 animals Sanctuary by the end of 2015. Intelligence Specialist London, United Kingdom Evan Blumer, VMD, MS Cincinnati, Ohio, USA Glen Rose, Texas USA Assam, India underscore the importance of our work. At the end of in the park – good news from previous lower estimates OsoMono, LTD IRF Vice President for Asia Programs Michael Dee Suzanne Hale 2014, we re-launched Operation: STOP POACHING NOW. based only on partial camera coverage. Since its founding, IRF has worked on the ground for Gahanna, Ohio, USA Gloria Goeres Los Angeles, California, USA The Bass Companies April Salter Program Assistant Our IRF family responded generously and swiftly – the 10- rhino conservation, but a key part of our mission is also Fort Worth, Texas USA Patrick Condy, Ph.D Salter>Mitchell Strasburg, Virginia USA Gina Ferrie Fossil Rim Wildlife Center week campaign raised more than $225,000. From these The bad news is that despite protection, Sumatran rhino to support scientific research. We regularly provide Tallahassee, Florida, USA Disney’s Animal Kingdom Laura Hess Glen Rose, Texas, USA Bill Konstant Lake Buena Vista, Florida USA funds, we have awarded a number of grants to protect key populations appear to be slowly continuing to decline, grants for work that is directly applicable to management, IRF Secretary The Bass Companies Program Officer Heather Eberhart Fort Worth, Texas USA rhino populations. Over the past 2 years, we have refined with only about 100 animals left in Indonesia. The crisis propagation and conservation of rhinos in nature and in Walt Disney Parks & Resorts Flourtown, Pennsylvania USA Jim Fouts Tanganyika Wildlife Park our investment strategy for southern Africa to focus on has triggered an international response with additional zoos. This year, we awarded funding totaling $203,045 to Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA Cheryl Leb Kelly Russo Goddard, Kansas USA Kelly, Hart & Hallman what the IUCN African Rhino Specialist Group considers funding now made available through a $11.2 million support seven research projects to benefit the species, Communications Advisor Don Farst, DVM Fort Worth, Texas USA Houston, Texas, USA Maggie Lawrence “important populations” – the larger groups of rhinos that Debt-for-Nature Swap ‘deal’ between the US government including two student grants. Brownsville, Texas, USA Salter>Mitchell Karen Ong we believe are of sufficient size and suitably protected that and Indonesia. The IRF played an important role not only Sectionov Tallahassee, Florida USA Michael Fouraker Salter>Mitchell Indonesia Liaison they will survive the poaching wars. in the negotiations between Indonesia and the US, but The International Rhino Foundation could not exist Fort Worth Zoo Tallahassee, Florida USA Bogor, Indonesia Patty Peters Fort Worth, Texas, USA also in providing the necessary match funding to secure without the extraordinary commitment and generosity Columbus Zoo & Aquarium Dana Stayton Lewis Greene Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, PhD Powell, Ohio, USA It’s not all bad news from Africa. This year, IRF, with our the agreement. We also received a large grant from the of our many supporters. Our efforts to reach out to the Kelly, Hart & Hallman Columbus Zoo and Aquarium Asia Program Coordinator Fort Worth, Texas USA partner Wilderness Safaris, established a new black rhino Disney Conservation Fund to develop a 10-year strategic general public has been fruitful - funding from individual Powell, Ohio, USA Guwahati, India Steve Shurter White Oak Conservation Center population in Botswana’s Okavango Delta. We moved 20 plan for Sumatran rhinos. This generous funding will be supporters alone has grown more than 900 percent since Dee Steer Peter Hall Raoul du Toit Holdings Kelly, Hart & Hallman animals from two different areas in South Africa to the complimented by other new sources of support next year. 2008 – a testament to your caring and commitment. Hunter Hall Investment Africa Program Coordinator Yulee, Florida, USA Fort Worth, Texas USA Management Limited Harare, Zimbabwe Delta, with all animals now doing well in their new home. We will continue to be lean and efficient; more than 93 London, United Kingdom Elizabeth Stratton More animals will be moved in 2015. In India, we actively partner with the Government of percent of your donations go directly to support field Edgewater Farm Assam, WWF, and the USFWS to continue Indian Rhino programs. It’s our honor to stand shoulder-to-shoulder Cameron Kerr Strasburg, VA, USA Taronga Conservation Society Our largest program in Africa, in Zimbabwe’s Lowveld Vision 2020. The first phase of Indian Rhino Vision 2020, with you as we work together to save rhinos. Thank you so Sydney, Australia Thomas W. White conservancies, continues to thrive. At the end of 2014, begun in 2008, has seen 18 rhinos moved to Manas very much for your unwavering belief in our work. The Bass Companies Diane Ledder Fort Worth, Texas USA the Lowveld area held 84 percent of Zimbabwe’s rhinos National Park. Ten calves have been born since then, Sarasota, Florida USA – a testament to the hard work and optimism that has but we have also lost eight of the IRV 2020 rhinos to John Lukas enabled our partner the Lowveld Rhino Trust to ward off poaching, the most recent late this year. Despite setbacks, Jacksonville Zoological Gardens the extinction of the country’s rhinos. We’ve done this plans for Phase II of the program are moving forward. Six Jacksonville, Florida, USA IRF President using sound biological management, strategic greater one-horned rhinos from Kaziranga National Susie Ellis, PhD John Lukas Executive Director President STATE OF THE RHINO JAVAN RHINO Gunung Leuser and Way Kambas in Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, WHITE RHINO (RHINOCEROS SONDAICUS) National Parks, and a small population and more than 535 remain in Nepal, (CERATOTHERIUM SIMUM) CRITICALLY ENDANGERED has recently been found in central where no poaching took place in 2013 NEAR THREATENED Kalimantan. The Sumatran rhino was or 2014. Poaching is still a problem in 58-61 recently declared extinct in the wild Assam, where 30 animals were killed 20,400 POPULATION STABLE in Malaysia. Small population effects, this year. The highest priority action is POPULATION POSSIBLY DECREASING Javan rhinos survive only in Indonesia’s such as reduced reproduction, human to continue and ramp up protection. In the face of the poaching crisis, white Ujung Kulon National Park, where encroachment into rhino habitat and rhino populations are thought to be updated population estimates are the ever-present danger of poaching BLACK RHINO slowly decreasing. White rhinos occur in based on video camera trap data that remain the most serious threats. The (DICEROS BICORNIS) eight countries - South Africa, Namibia, have been verified by the IUCN Asian most critical actions are to protect CRITICALLY ENDANGERED Kenya, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Swaziland, Rhino Specialist Group. The highest and consolidate existing populations, Uganda and Kenya. South Africa holds conservation priorities for saving the to increase public awareness, and 5,050 more than 90% of world population. Javan rhino from extinction include to expand the managed breeding POPULATION SLOWLY INCREASING In 2014, more than 1,215 rhinos were continuing protection, expanding rhino program. Black rhinos are at continued risk from slaughtered in South Africa; the majority habitat within the Javan Rhino Study the African poaching crisis, particularly were white rhinos. The highest priority and Conservation Area in the eastern in South Africa. Despite this, thanks to for ensuring this species’ survival is GREATER ONE-HORNED RHINO portion of Ujung Kulon, managing