Hunted for their highly valuable horns, two thirds of species could be lost in our lifetime. To help prevent this, abandoned, injured, or orphaned baby rhinos are located and cared for by teams of specialists actively supported by Kevin Pietersen, brand ambassador and ex-international cricket player, before being released back into the wild as soon as they are ready. South Africa is home to more than 80% of the world's rhinos, and the majority of poaching incidents take place in Kruger national park.
On this subject, Ricardo Guadalupe, CEO of Hublot, states that "there are around 28,000 rhinos remaining worldwide, 23 times fewer than there are African elephants! Poaching is one of the main threats they face. Major steps have been taken by governments to introduce regulations but informing consumers and changing their behaviour remains a key challenge in the fight against poaching. If Hublot can play a role in raising awareness, then I would be delighted."
In a similar way to Ricardo Guadalupe, Kevin Pietersen realizes that it is time to act: "Our planet is home to five species of rhinoceros: the Black rhino and the White rhino, which live in Africa, and the Sumatran, Javan and Indian rhino, which inhabit the tropical forests and swamps of Asia. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, of these five species, the Black, Javan and Sumatran rhino are now considered "critically endangered", White rhino are "nearly threatened" and Indian rhino are "vulnerable". I am appalled by the brutality they face. There is an urgent need for action, and Hublot's support for this is crucial. By reducing the time it takes to act, we can protect as many rhinos as possible."
To help rhinos, Kevin Pieterson founded SORAI in 2018 to support the various organisations - comprising rangers, nutritionists, ecologists and other specialists - who strive every day to save, care for, and ensure the complete rehabilitation of every mammal found in Africa and Asia. This global initiative is designed to raise public awareness, to inform and educate to initiate a change in behaviour, and to raise funds to build up the resources and equipment needed for these rhino conservation, monitoring and care activities to continue their essential work.
