Investec Rhino Lifeline

Calls grow for the eradication of illegal wildlife trafficking, as scientists point to links to the Covid-19 global pandemic

Investec Rhino Lifeline donated R200 000 each to our rescue partners Care for Wild and HESC, for food and healthcare support to their neighbouring communities.

We were also able to support GWF in producing educational videos in 7 languages for cellphone distribution and provide all our partners with masks to keep their staff safe.

Valued at around $23 billion, illegal wildlife trade (IWT) is the fourth most profitable criminal trafficking enterprise worldwide.

In a first-of-its-kind meeting in SA, the financial sector, government and law enforcement met to discuss ways to combat the financial crime associated with IWT, hosted by Investec and United for Wildlife. 

#RhinoLifeline had an amazing opportunity to sponsor a "community trail run with heart”. The Extra Mile took runners on a 10 km or 21 km run through the Bushbuckridge community bordering Sabi Sands and greater Kruger National Park. 

Not only did runners from the community participate, but Investec staff, as well as #RhinoLifeline partners, joined in the fun, raising awareness and R240,000 for critical water, education, and conservation projects for the community. 

In June 2019, #RhinoLifeline was privileged to witness the moment that two orphaned rhino, Gertjie and Matimba, stepped back into the wilderness. 

The two rhino, rescued by our partner HESC in 2014, were cared for and released five years later. 

In six years, St Mary's Waverley and #RhinoLifeline have donated more than R800,000 towards rhino conservation, with 2019 being the biggest effort yet, raising more than R360,000 for the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre!

International actor Nicholas Pinnock, who features in Investec’s brand campaign, visited our partners and the communities dedicated to saving the rhino. 

"We need international voices to reach new audiences, and expose the depth of this humanitarian issue." Tanya dos Santos, Investec Rhino Lifeline

"It's really easy for us to sit at home watching tv and see adverts for conservation and say, 'Oh, we should do something.'  This is everybody's responsibility. There is so much more we need to do and that we can do." Nicholas Pinnock.

On world rhino day, our London office hosted Investec’s global head of sustainability, Tanya dos Santos, with Petronel Nieuwoudt, founder and director of #RhinoLifeline partner Care for Wild ((pictured, at left), and passionate conservationist and former GB hockey star, Christa Cullen (pictured, at right) to discuss the rhino crisis and how the wildlife economy can help alleviate it. 

In an exciting and successful demand reduction campaign, we partnered with WildAid, HESC, and Cathay Pacific to bring eminent Chinese antique collector and influencer to South Africa to experience the wonder of the South African bush, see a rhino in the wild and learn more about the crisis. With his own online talk show and private museums, Mr Ma Weidu has a following of 63 million online viewers. With Mr Ma’s influence and extensive following, and the combined reach of WildAid and Investec, we reached millions of people with the message: “When the buying stops, the killing can too.” 

"It's going to take a long time to change centuries of deeply held beliefs and entrenched Chinese culture. But we are committed to telling people in China that rhino horn does not have any magical functions." Mr Ma Weidu, WildAid ambassador.

Investec’s Lessing Msimanga embarked on a journey from the London Marathon to Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary, to raise R30,000 for rhino, an animal he had never seen. The passion and dedication of our staff continue to drive and inspire Investec Rhino Lifeline. 

"It was my first time to see a rhino. I cannot even describe the feeling. Coming to Care for Wild is an honour, is a gift out of this world. I understand my cause now." Lessing Msimanga. Investec.

Top England bowlers and Investec cricket ambassadors Stuart Broad and Steven Finn took time out of their busy schedules to learn more about the rhino crisis and lend their voices to the cause. 

“When you see the facts and numbers, you realise a lot needs to be done, quite quickly, if we’re going to keep these amazing animals on our earth.”  Stuart Broad, England cricketer and Investec ambassador in 2016.

With #RhinoLifeline ambassador, Dr William Fowlds, we partnered with Wilderness Foundation and Peaceparks in a demand reduction campaign with Vietnamese popstar Than Bui, raising awareness in Vietnamese schools, and through a week-long bush experience for 22 Vietnamese teenagers, who were exposed to nature, conservation and all elements of rhino poaching. The youth returned to their home country, creating their own awareness campaigns to convince their fellow countrymen of the horrors of rhino poaching and futility of rhino horn use.

"Education is the key. When the kids speak, the adults will listen." Than Bui, Vietnamese pop star and rhino ambassador

In 2012 we established Investec Rhino Lifeline, aiming to raise awareness of the rhino crisis, in collaboration with #RhinoLifeline ambassador, Dr William Fowlds (pictured), a passionate wildlife vet. This successful 3-year partnership told the story of Dr Fowlds and an incredible rhino, Thandi, who survived a rhino poaching ordeal against all odds and went on to become a mother. Across the world, from SA to the US, UK, China, and Australia, children and adults alike were inspired to take action to save this incredible prehistoric species. We are deeply grateful to Dr Fowlds and our Investec executive for their vision and faith in starting us on this journey. 

"Investec Rhino Lifeline is embedded in Investec's DNA. We need to do whatever we can, in our way, to make a difference. We owe it to these animals, to protect them. It's a fight we can't give up." Andy Leith, CEO IEP and #RhinoLifeline founder.