The Greater Kruger Environmental Protection Foundation (GKEPF) was established in 2016, in direct response to the alarming number of endangered animals killed by poachers in the region of the Greater Kruger National Park (GKNP) – an area which encompasses more than 20 million hectares of unfenced wilderness.

By facilitating strategic coordination, collaboration and effective communication between its member reserves, GKEPF supports an aligned and holistic approach to wildlife protection throughout the 2.5 million-hectare Greater Kruger open system. This approach includes strategic partnerships, wildlife crime mitigation interventions, data management, operational support, a people-centered approach focussing on neighbouring communities, ranger support and training and landscape conservation projects and research.

Wild animals are poached and traded globally on a massive scale, with millions of individual animals of thousands of species worldwide killed or captured and removed from their native habitats.

There are 5 remaining species of rhino. Two live in Africa, black and white rhino. They have been living on the planet for 40 million years. Although, poaching poses a significant threat to many animals, black rhinos are classed as critically endangered and white rhino as near threatened on the IUCN Red List Classification.

As rhino are an umbrella species, when rhino are protected by rangers and scientists, many other species sharing their habitat are also protected. A continuing poaching crisis may lead to not only the extinction of the rhino but it threatens the future of other species too. Animals such as elephants, lions, leopards, as well as smaller creatures, like certain lizards and monkeys, are also the target of illegal poaching.

Rhino are poached for their horns. Rhino horn is a valuable commodity. Gram for gram, it is the most expensive commodity on the planet. Those who are responsible for the demand for rhino horn are often unaware of the consequences these animals face in order to satisfy their needs.

In the space of only a few years, GKEPF has prevented numerous poaching attempts, successfully rolled-out the physical placing of counter poaching technologies and reporting systems, while developing close working relationships with canine and ranger anti-poaching, air mobility and law enforcement units, and neighbouring communities.