A wildlife leadership programme focused on rhino conservation has been launched, aiming to equip local conservationists with the skills and mentorship needed to safeguard these endangered species.
International Rhino Foundation (IRF), which funds and manages rhino conservation projects in Africa and Asia, partnered with WCN, a U.S.-based nonprofit using venture capital-style funding to support global wildlife efforts, to design the three-year program.
Selected participants will receive individualized training, peer networking, and mentorship to advance their roles in safeguarding rhinos.
“All five rhino species are at risk and need all the help they can get. This new program will strengthen the corps of conservationists working to protect these incredible animals. Together with the Wildlife Conservation Network, we’re making sure rhinos have a fighting chance,” said Nina Fascione, IRF’s executive director, in a statement.
Markus Hofmeyr, director of the WCN Rhino Recovery Fund, stressed the critical need to empower local experts. Across Africa and Asia, fewer than 28,000 rhinos remain, with some species such as the Sumatran and Javan rhinos reduced to fewer than 100 individuals.
“Securing their future means equipping conservationists with the experience and on-the-ground expertise needed to lead the way. Having an entirely rhino-focused “Rising Wildlife Leaders: Careers” cohort this year gives me tremendous hope.”
“Through this collaboration with the International Rhino Foundation, we’re working to ensure that conservation efforts receive the resources and support needed to secure the species’ survival,” Hofmeyr said.
The Rising Wildlife Leaders team is made up of six dedicated conservationists from Indonesia, Kenya, Namibia, and Zimbabwe, each working on the frontlines to protect Javan, black, white, and Sumatran rhinos.
Among them is Dedi Riyanto, area manager for Yayasan Badak Indonesia (YABI) at Ujung Kulon National Park, where he focuses on protecting the critically endangered Javan rhino. From Namibia, Deoclearancia Lorna Dax serves as a program and partnership development assistant for Save the Rhino Trust, working to safeguard the desert-adapted black rhino.
Diana Marewangepo from Zimbabwe plays a vital role in conserving both black and white rhinos as the senior terrestrial ecologist for the Harare region with the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority. Also from Zimbabwe, Donald Misheck is the rhino coordinator for the Gonarezhou Conservation Trust, contributing to the protection of black rhinos.
The team also includes Ilham Ananda of Indonesia, who manages Sumatran rhino rescue efforts with the Leuser Conservation Forum Foundation, and Kenneth Ayiego from Kenya, the rhino program manager for the World Wide Fund for Nature Kenya, where he leads initiatives to protect the country’s black rhino population.
IRF works to ensure the survival of rhinos through strategic partnerships, targeted protection, and scientifically sound interventions.
