They say that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step and it is equally true that a journey of 2 000 miles begins with a single decisive action. In the case of the translocation of 30 white rhinos from South Africa to Akagera National Park in Rwanda (just over 2 000 miles away) in November 2021, that unique catalytic moment was the establishment of &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve all the way back in 1991. At the time, there were no white rhinos at all on the land that is now Phinda.
It’s the nature of a journey that we seldom know what lies over the next horizon yet, by remaining true to course, eye on the destination, chances are that the outcome will exceed the wildest of expectations. This has certainly been our experience. Thirty years ago, just shy of 30 white rhinos were introduced onto the fledgling &Beyond Phinda. Three decades of conservation triumphs and challenges ensued, but right at the juncture of our 30th anniversary, we were exceedingly proud to see 30 of our Phinda white rhinos shared with Akagera National Park, for the establishment of a brand new founder population there. Now that’s a journey that has come full circle.
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