Foose, T.J., 1995. The International Rhino Foundation. Around the Horn 3 (1): 8-9, figs. 1-2
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Organisations |
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All Rhino Species |
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The International Rhino Foundation (IRF) is a non-profit corporation of individuals and institutions, which operate as a service organization for rhinoceros conservation. The mission of the IRF is:
- to contribute to rhino conservation by providing technical, administrative, and financial services and support for programs emphasizing intensive management and scientific research both in situ and ex situ, as equally important components of rhino conservation.
Board Members include:
John Lukas (President), White Oak Conservation Center;
Jim Jackson (Vice President for Field Conservation), Fossil Rim Wildlife Center;
Dr. John Kelly (Vice-President) Zoological Parks Board of New South Wales;
Lee Bass (Treasurer) El Coyote Ranch;
Dr. Don Farst, Gladys Porter Zoo;
Mike Fouraker, Fort Worth Zoo;
Fred La Rue, Dallas Zoo;
Bob Reece, The Wilds;
Jerry Borin, Columbus Zoo;
John Knowles, Marwell Zoological Trust;
Ingrid Schroeder, WISDOM Foundation;
Harry Tennison.
Recently there have been two major contributions from IRF Board members to support IRF programs:
1. $500,000 over three years from the Howard Gilman Foundation mainly for support of in situ programs.
2. $ 500,000 over three years from Lee Bass for support of rhino research projects.
There has also been a major new contribution from the Columbus Zoo Association of $ 25,000 for 1995 adding to $ 25,000 previously contributed. These contributions add to the continuing significant support that the IRF receives from Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, the Fort Worth Zoo, the Dallas Zoo, the Zoological Parks Board of New South Wales and the Chicago Zoological Society, and the St Louis Zoo. A number of other institutions have entered into partnerships with the IRF on specific projects, e.g. the program for northern white rhino in Garamba National Park, Zaire. Additionally, the Wilds provides space and support for the IRF Program Office.
Indeed, an important part of IRF program strategy is to develop partnerships with other institutions through the use of matching or challenge grants from IRF core funds. Other institutions that have participated in partnerships with the IRF include: Australia: Werribee Zoological Park; New Zealand: Auckland Zoo; Netherlands: Safari Park Beekse Bergen, Burger's Zoo and Safari in Arnhem, Noorder Dierenpark in Emmen; United Kingdom: Marwell Zoological Trust; Canada: Calgary Zoo, Toronto Zoo, United States: Wildlife Conservation Society, St Louis Zoo, Jacksonville Zoo, Virginia Zoological Society, Los Angeles Zoo, and Zoo Atlanta.
IRF In Situ Activities
These programs concentrate on intensive protection and management programs that are significant and feasible. Hence, the projects will emphasize range states where logistics and politics indicate the highest probability of success.
IRF programs will concentrate on the species/subspecies of rhino that are currently under the greatest threat in situ: Black Rhino, Northern White Rhino, and Sumatran Rhino. These are also the species for which ex situ programs have had the greatest difficulty.
The major in situ programs for IRF in 1995 will be:
(1) Continuing support for the intensive protection zone program (IPZS) for black and white rhino in Zimbabwe where IRF specifically provides the helicopter used for rhino conservation
activities and the Zimbabwe Rhino Conservation Coordinator.
(2) Development of an intensive management and managed breeding center for Sumatran rhino in natural habitat in Way Kambas National Park, Indonesia.
(3) Facilitation of a G.E.F. (Global Environment Facility) Project for intensive protection of Sumatran rhino in situ in Indonesia and Malaysia.
(4) Expanded support for the northern white rhino conservation program.
(5) Other efforts assist:
(a) Indian rhinos in India and Nepal and
(b) Black and southern white rhino in South Africa.
IRF Research Activities
The International Rhinoceros Foundation is also instituting a major research grant program to continue and expand its support for research that is directly applicable to management, propagation, and conservation of all rhinoceros species in captivity or under intensive protection and management in the wild.
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The International Rhino Foundation
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