Why Help UmPhafa?
UmPhafa is a 6000-hectare Nature Reserve near Ladysmith and we have a 44km fence line. We are home to a wide range of species including giraffe, zebra, leopard, lots of plains game as well as White Rhino. UmPhafa has been set up as an educational Conservation Reserve, teaching and showing students and Interns that visit us how a Reserve passionate about Conservation is run, which is why we need you to support and help UmPhafa.
One of our main threats is the increase in poaching in South Africa since Covid. During the Covid pandemic we saw a decline in the numbers of Rhino being poached but now they are on the increase. In 2022 we lost 448 Rhino in South Africa of which 244 were in Kwa-Zulu Natal (KZN) where we are based. In 2023 499 in total and 307 of these were in KZN, in the first 6 months of 2024 we have lost 229 and so far this year KZN has lost 202 and still counting.
Despite most Reserves doing dehorning programs including ourselves it does not provide a strong enough deterrent. With such an ongoing threat on our fence line and with the help of Colchester Zoological Society, we have been able to increase our number of Field Rangers to 12, they patrol day and night come rain or shine and walk up to 15kms a day protecting the Reserve and most importantly our Rhinos.
We have also started to use Camera traps and Drones enabling us to protect larger areas but our Field Rangers and UmPhafa still need some ‘vital’ equipment.
Read MoreBelow are just a few examples of some of the ways in which you can help UmPhafa.
• Internship on the reserve
• Donating towards our Field Ranger equipment
• Donating towards a specific Conservation Project
• Visiting Colchester Zoo
