Former entrepreneur Hume, who built his wealth building resorts for tourists, claimed he fell in love with the animals by mistake after purchasing the first one after retiring with the intention of starting a farm. I spent my entire life savings on that rhino population for 30 years. And at last, I was broke, he added.
Around 2,000 southern white rhinos live on his closely guarded farm in North West province. This endangered species was hunted to nearly extinction in the late 19th century but has slowly recovered thanks to decades of protection and breeding efforts. White rhinos are currently classified as near threatened on the Red List created by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with only 18,000 remaining after a fall in the previous ten years.
Long journey to a world without poaching
There are roughly 100 individuals working at the site, which is guarded by miles of fencing, cameras, heat detectors, and an army of rangers. According to Brandon Jones, the farm’s head of security, the intense security is intended to deter would-be poachers by delivering the message that they don’t stand a chance.
