About Save the Rhino International Inc.

Save the Rhino International Inc. is a registered 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, incorporated in February 2000 (EIN 31-1758236), with headquarters in New York City. Save the Rhino International Inc. is led by Cathy Dean MBE, who is advised by a Board of Directors; together, they work collaboratively to advance the organization’s mission.

Our vision is clear: to ensure that rhinos survive and thrive in the wild for generations to come. Our mission is to provide critical funding to conservation programs that deliver the greatest possible impact for rhinos by reducing poaching, strengthening wildlife law enforcement, and enhancing on-the-ground protection. We help equip and train the rangers who risk their lives daily to safeguard rhinos by providing them with essential tools and basic needs to support their wellbeing.

We believe lasting conservation begins with people. That’s why we champion community-led initiatives that enhance local communities’ appreciation of rhinos, participation in conservation, and pride in being guardians of their natural heritage.

Why rhinos need our help

Fewer than 27,000 rhinos across the five recognized rhino species remain in the wild; the need for rapid, sustained action has never been greater.

Save the Rhino International Inc. supports conservation programs in Indonesia, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe, with particular focus on Javan and Sumatran rhinos in Asia, and black in Africa. These three species of rhino are classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, driven by two converging threats: the illegal wildlife trade and accelerating habitat loss. Rhino horn remains one of the world’s most valuable illicit wildlife products, making rhinos prime targets for sophisticated transnational criminal networks. At the same time, their natural habitats are shrinking, limiting their ability to survive and reproduce.

Rhinos are more than iconic animals – they are ecosystem engineers. Their presence shapes landscapes, supports biodiversity, and contributes to the wellbeing of local communities through tourism and the ecosystem services they provide. Protecting rhinos means protecting entire ecosystems.

Conservation teams working to save rhinos face enormous challenges: organized crime, constrained habitats, climate change, and political instability all threaten progress.

Saving rhinos requires significant investment in security, habitat management, scientific research, new technologies, training, and long-term planning. Success depends on strong collaboration – among governments, conservation organizations, businesses, and local communities – to mobilize the resources and expertise essential for rhinos’ survival.

How we help save rhinos

During the last decade (2015/16 to 2024/25), Save the Rhino International, Inc. has distributed more than US $14.5 million in grants. These funds have helped to:

• Support effective site-level law enforcement to prevent, disrupt, and prosecute poaching and trafficking
• Strengthen biological and ecological management to ensure healthy rhino populations and optimal growth rates
• Ensure rhino conservation professionals are well-equipped and have the resources and high-quality training they need to excel
• Improve coordination within and among conservation agencies and rhino range-state professionals
• Engage multiple stakeholders in rhino range states, in alignment with principles of recognition, procedural fairness, and equitable benefit distribution