Rhinoceros Conservation

Diana has been passionate about rhinos since she was young and has the opportunity to help them in their native habitat. In 2017, she volunteered for Care for Wild, a rhinoceros sanctuary in South Africa that specializes in rescue and rehabilitation, with the ultimate goal of release and protection of this iconic species. She returned to Care for Wild in 2019 as the in-house veterinarian, treating and caring for the rhinos in residence, as well as orphan baby arrivals severely injured by poachers that needed emergency care and surgical intervention. During her visit, she also used her knowledge and experience to tend to the dogs and horses utilized by the reserve’s anti-poaching unit.

Diana joined the board of the Council of Contributors and raised money to help start a bloodwork database at the rhino orphanage. She helped raise money and awareness for private reserve owners to dehorn their rhino population in effort to save them an untimely death. She accomplished a multitude of veterinary-focused projects, such as providing vet care to the hardworking horses used in mounted patrols, financing the aftercare of a rhino bull injured in a poaching attempt, and supporting the K9 units integral to security as the reserves.

In 2023, she branched out on her own to form Veterinary Conservation Coalition and continue her work supporting the private reserves who are the caretakers, the advocates, the front-line service, the security, and the conservationists.

South Africa holds the largest rhino population in the world and suffers the highest number of poaching incidents. Most of the illegal activity and brutal murders occur in Kruger Park, a largely protected habitat on South Africa’s north-eastern border. The rhino population has declined by 60% since 2013.

With the decrease of tourism and donations as a result of the COVID-19 hardship, Kruger Park has faced many losses from poaching. A decrease in donations and funding translates to reduced ranger protection and security for this disappearing species. Less tourism means loss of educational opportunities as well as easier infiltration onto the park by poachers and their syndicates. The loss of more rhinos puts them precariously at the precipice of extinction within our lifetime. Please join Diana in her efforts to help protect the remaining population by making a donation - every penny counts during this crucial time.