Since January 2016 Amazing Africa is proudly involved in the support of the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre (HESC).
The HESC is pioneer in the conservation of rare, vulnerable and endangered African animal species. Besides their many other breeding and research projects, HESC also cares for rhinos who have survived terrible injuries inflicted on them during poaching attempts. Amazing Africa has made a commitment to donate towards the care of these traumatized rhinos, especially by the steadily fostering of a rhino called Lion’s Den.
The poaching of rhinos is the most alarming trend due to its horrific growth in South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Kenya. Since 2007, poaching attempts have skyrocketed year-on-year. The number of rhinos poached in South Africa alone increased by 9,000 %, from 13 to 1,215 in 2014.To meet the demand for illegal rhino horn, primarily in Asia, poaching gangs use sophisticated and likewise brutal methods to track rhinos and extract their horns. Unfortunately, there is no indication that the rhino-poaching crisis is brought under control despite the government trying to combat poaching by deploying military along the border between Mozambique and Kruger National Park. But, thanks to successful conservation efforts, the number of black and white rhinos currently rises again.