Poached Rhino is the sole UK charity dedicated to help stop the needless slaughter of the South African rhino by illegal poachers.

The charity is a non-profit organisation with a deliberately ambiguous name, explains chairman, Graeme Oliver.

“Poached rhino sounds like a Chinese take away because unfortunately, it bloody well is,” he says.

While arguably Poached Rhino sounds somewhat like the battle is lost, Graeme is adamant that the battle desperately needs rallying.

Graeme and his wife recognised the need to focus entirely on helping rhinos in South Africa, and as a result set up a charity to do just that. Graeme was born in the UK but spent his first four years running around barefoot in Pietermaritzburg. “I’ve got South Africa in my bones,” he says. “When I returned it was like coming home.”

Graeme and his wife have always been passionate about wildlife and originally supported WWF with donations, however they felt that the money was just going into a large organisation as opposed to helping a particular cause. This was part of the reason they decided to retire to South Africa and set up their own charity, both in the UK and in South Africa.

“I looked at what was happening with the UK charities, which are all doing a great job for ‘other wildlife’ but not ‘totally and wholly’ for the South African Rhino. I want to make sure the money goes directly to the right projects and ends up in the right hands.”

100% of the funds collected by Poached Rhino go directly towards helping South Africa’s rhinos.

“My goal is to motivate South Africans in the UK who do care and who are now living and paying tax in the UK. South Africans can do something to help, whilst knowing that all their money is going directly to help the rhino, and at the same time potentially reducing their tax bill by giving to our charity.”

Many have predicted that the rhino will be extinct by 2020, and Graeme reckons that if nothing is done in the next five to 10 years, the rhino will be completely wiped out.

“We have almost got to the tipping point where rhinos are being killed faster than they can breed,” he says. The big five could very soon become the big four, and South Africans in the UK, or any British citizens for that matter, who would like to visit South Africa in the near future, will either have to visit the rhino in an enclosed space or miss seeing them entirely.

Poached Rhino found that many game parks in South Africa did not have security cameras, fences and 24-hour anti-poaching units to track their rhinos, as they did not expect that poachers would ever target them.

“It’s like a property without burglar bars and alarms, are you asking to be robbed?”

There is an abundance of NPO’s in South Africa raising awareness, to the extent that people are getting sick of hearing about the plight of the rhino. “People will talk about it, but not a lot of people want to get down and dirty.”

Sometimes it feels like a losing battle. “We may just end up with rhinos without horns, or rhinos in zoos. Every game reserve will be like Fort Knox.”

With rhino horn worth circa $ 100 000 per kilogram, and the average horn weighing approximately 5kg, it certainly is big business.

While this is a sad reality, Graeme is of the opinion that “If you don’t have a passion and you don’t try, then nothing will be done”.

While running Poached Rhino, Graeme has seen the situation change from elation to total devastation. Even though things are slowly moving in the right direction, the horrific news stories and photos on Facebook are evidence enough that there is still much that can be done.

What can you do to help stop the needless slaughter of rhinos in South Africa?

Well, you can donate to any project that appeals to you. Poached Rhino gives money to various rhino projects in South Africa and is simultaneously looking to raise money to start their own orphanage and ‘School of Excellence’.

“We need to look at the bigger picture with reference to children and education, biodiversity, conservation, helping the land where the rhino ‘roams’ which will result in creating awareness, jobs and saving other endangered flora and fauna.”

You can adopt and name a rhino, and no, not a cuddly toy. You can help sponsor a real, live rhino in South Africa and receive regular updates and pictures. This can be done remotely from the UK or on your next trip to South Africa.

“We are working with a number of travel agents where a ‘donation’ of any safaris or holidays booked will go directly to Poached Rhino.”

You can help support a project to create a Rhino DNA database which utilises DNA profiling techniques to combat poaching and strengthen rhino conservation.

It is common practice to run or cycle for a charity in the UK. “Although we do not have charity places available for the London Marathon on April 26th, we would really appreciate you helping and running for Poached Rhino. Details are available on request.”

Your average small game reserve in South Africa housing two to five rhino would need over R1million a year to protect their rhinos.

“If there are any South Africans out there who would like to help us and stand up and be counted, then we would love to hear from you”.

“Please note these are our personal thoughts and views on a very, very sensitive, disturbing and emotional subject.”

If you feel moved to help, feel free to visit Poached Rhino here or email Graeme at graeme@poachedrhino.org.