Protecting South Africa’s biodiversity by reversing habitat loss and fragmentation, fighting poaching, and supporting conservation-based community programs.

Celebrity wildlife presenter Coyote Peterson and the Brave Wilderness team have joined forces with, Bear Grylls, wilderness survival host, Global Conservation Force, and Kariega Game Reserve for Save the Horns, a unique conservation campaign aimed to protect the endangered species and habitat of South Africa’s Eastern Cape. By expanding habitats, restoring degraded landscapes, and strengthening protections, we have the opportunity to give endangered species a chance to thrive.

Habitat Expansion

Kariega Game Reserve has acquired a piece of farmland adjacent to the Reserve that creates an incredible opportunity for biodiversity and conservation in the Eastern Cape. This allows the Kariega to:

  • Rewild the agricultural land back to a biodiverse natural state, creating pristine habitat for many of Africa’s iconic native species
  • Secure the land from future commercial development
  • Reduce habitat fragmentation by dropping strategic fence lines to create a massive 9,000 hectare wilderness in the western region of the Reserve. This creates new breeding territory for the wild inhabitants, and also allows native plant species to thrive. 
  • Lays the foundation for a longer-term goal of creating a wildlife corridor between the Kariega and Amakhala Game Reserves.

Species Introductions & Benefits to Existing Populations

Kariega’s habitat expansion allows for the introduction of new species to the Reserve and an increase in space for existing residents. 

 

BLACK RHINO

  • Protected habitat that opens up an entirely new breeding zone for critically endangered black rhino. Black rhinos are listed as critically endangered, with barely 5,000 remaining in the wild, so establishing and protecting a breeding population in the Eastern Cape is a major win for the conservation of this species.

LIONS

  • Help secure more usable habitat for an entirely new lion pride
  • Stabilize genetic diversity and breeding for wild lions in the Eastern Cape
  • Allow nature to stabilize the predator and prey ratio in a healthy reserve

CHEETAHS

  • Establish a more connected and safe habitat for cheetah populations
  • Return wild cheetahs back to their historical range
  • Open up enough protected habitat to allow lions and cheetahs to naturally coexist without conflict

ELEPHANTS

  • Dropping fence lines nearly triples Kariega’s existing elephant habitat.
  • Creates  more access to other wild elephants, enhancing breeding and genetic diversity opportunities
  • Provides additional opportunities to track, study, and manage new data sets for elephant habitat and ecology in the Eastern Cape

Anti-poaching and Other Protection Activities

 

With more land and animals also comes the critical need for further protection, and Save the Horns will also support Global Conservation Force’s anti-poaching efforts. Goals for the anti-poaching arm of the campaign include a new patrol vehicle, additional mounted unit rangers and horses for the expanded coverage, and securing an operational budget for our Eastern Cape K9s, horses, and ranger training programs. Additional protection comes from the enhancing, and expanding the use of, wildlife monitoring technology across Kariega Game Reserve.

 

Community Programs

 

This is probably the most exciting part of the conservation aims in making expansion a socioeconomically viable and sustainable land-use option. The expansion of the protected area gives rise to both the demand for human resources and employment opportunities. Global Conservation Force’s ranger program centers around recruiting, training, and employing members of the surrounding community. This provides economic stimulation and a conservation-based career path that deters many from getting involved with poaching activities.

 

Timeline of Conservation Activities

 

This multi-faceted conservation project has already begun and will continue through 2023. Please note these timelines are dependent upon multiple factors and serve as guidelines for the project goals.

  • Fence builds; 2022 through early 2023
  • Fence drops: mid-2023
  • Solidified ranger protections: mid-2023
  • Animal introductions: late 2022 through 2023

Be Part of the Change!

 

Join Brave Wilderness, Bear Grylls, and Global Conservation Force today.  Together, we will save the horns!

Donate Now

BIODIVERSITY TIER PLEDGE – $150,000 AND ABOVE

  • Individual Large Plaque with Donor Name at Kariega Game Reserve
  • Key mentions on social media, Interviews, website (including large graphic and website links)
  • Customizable Letter of recognition from Brave Wilderness, GCF, and Kariega Game Reserve
  • Ability to designate items sponsored (based on availability, item branding possible)
  • Custom wood carved rhino, elephant, lion, giraffe, cheetah and plaque for business
  • Presentation with GCF President and Kariega Ecologist on full plan

WILDLIFE GUARDIAN TIER PLEDGE – $75,000 TO $150,000

  • Large Name Plate Plaque Spot with Donor Name at Kariega Game Reserve
  • Mentions on social media, Interviews, website (including medium graphic and website links)
  • Ability to designate items sponsored  (based on availability, item branding possible)
  • Customizable Letter of recognition from Brave Wilderness, Global Conservation Force, and Kariega Game Reserve
  • Presentation with Global Conservation Force President and Kariega Ecologist on full plan

ELEPHANT TIER PLEDGE – $50,000 TO $75,000

  • Medium Name Plate Plaque Spot with Donor Name at Kariega Game Reserve
  • Mentions on social media, Interviews, website (including small graphic and website link)
  • Ability to designate items sponsored  (based on availability, item branding possible)
  • Customizable Letter of recognition from Brave Wilderness, Global Conservation Force, and Kariega Game Reserve
  • Presentation with Global Conservation Force President and Kariega Ecologist on full plan

BLACK RHINO TIER PLEDGE – $25,000 TO $50,000

  • Small Name Plate Plaque Spot with Donor Name at Kariega Game Reserve
  • Mentions on social media, Interviews, website (including small graphic)
  • Ability to designate items sponsored  (based on availability, item branding possible)
  • Customizable Letter of recognition from Brave Wilderness, Global Conservation Force, and Kariega Game Reserve
  • Presentation with Global Conservation Force President and Kariega Ecologist on full plan

LION PRIDE TIER PLEDGE – $10,000 TO $25,000

  • Donor name on plaque with Donor Name at Kariega Game Reserve – Listed in donation amount bracketed category
  • Mentions on website (including small graphic), on campaign page
  • Ability to designate items sponsored (based on availability, item branding possible)
  • Customizable Letter of recognition from Brave Wilderness, Global Conservation Force, and Kariega Game Reserve

CHEETAH TIER PLEDGE – $1,000 TO $10,000

  • Donor name on plaque with Donor Name at Kariega Game Reserve – Listed in donation amount bracketed category
  • Mentioned on website, on campaign page
  • Customizable Letter of recognition from Brave Wilderness, Global Conservation Force, and Kariega Game Reserve

RANGER TIER PLEDGE – $250 TO $1,000

  • Mentioned on website, on campaign page
  • Customizable Letter of recognition from Brave Wilderness, Global Conservation Force, and Kariega Game Reserve

PROTECT A HECTARE PROTECTED OF LAND – $100

  • Mentioned on the website, on the campaign page
  • Letter of recognition from Brave Wilderness, Global Conservation Force, and Kariega Game Reserve

About our Campaign Partners

KARIEGA FOUNDATION

 

The Kariega Foundation, a non-profit trust, was born out of the desire to contribute to the upliftment of local communities, sustainable wildlife management, and conservation. The Foundation works in collaboration with Kariega Game Reserve in these key areas. Situated on South Africa’s malaria-free Garden Route, Kariega Game Reserve spans 11,500 hectares of pristine Eastern Cape wilderness and is home to the famous Big 5 as well as a multitude of African wildlife including hippo, giraffe and zebra. The private reserve is also a paradise for birdlife, including resident and migrant birds. The reserve incorporates two dramatic and picturesque river valleys, the Kariega and Bushmans, as well as African plains and magnificent hills.

 

BRAVE WILDERNESS

 

The Brave Wilderness vision is to revolutionize how people learn about and interact with the natural world while inspiring the conservation of our planet for current and future generations, by becoming the epicenter of animal and adventure-based entertainment.

BEAR GRYLLS

 

Bear Grylls OBE has become known worldwide as one of the most recognized faces of survival and outdoor adventure. Trained from a young age in martial arts, Grylls went on to spend three years as a soldier in the British Special Forces, as part of 21 SAS Regiment. It was here that he perfected many of the survival skills that his fans all over the world enjoy, as he pits himself against the worst of Mother Nature.

 

DR. WILLIAM FOWLDS

 

Dr. William Fowlds is a wildlife veterinarian in South Africa known for his work in awareness and education of the rhino poaching crisis. Will’s passion for conservation stemmed from his childhood days spent in the wild African bush of the Eastern Cape.  In later years, his fifth-generation family farm was converted along with neighboring farms into what is now known as the Amakhala Game Reserve.