In South Africa—home to the majority of the world’s rhinos—poaching remains the most significant threat to these majestic animals. As poaching incidents continue to rise, Jumeirah Thanda Safari has taken bold action, becoming the first reserve in Zululand to introduce a state-of-the-art AI tracking as part of its rhino conservation efforts.
Protecting A Rare Species
Located in South Africa’s northern KwaZulu-Natal, Jumeirah Thanda Safari spans an exclusive 16,500-hectare private reserve, home to the iconic Big Five—buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion, and rhino. First protected in 1895 and reaffirmed as a conservation area in 2015, this land remains a vital refuge, protected by dedicated conservation teams and anti-poaching units.
Through the Thanda Foundation Trust, it supports impactful initiatives including Project Rhino KZN—a powerful collaboration between government, NGOs, and private entities—and the WWF Black Rhino Range Expansion Project, which is expanding habitats for one of Africa’s most endangered species.
Playing a leading role in the conservation and protection of endangered rhinos, Jumeirah Thanda Safari offers guests a rare, hands-on opportunity to contribute directly to vital conservation efforts. Now with groundbreaking technology, the private reserve has a system in play to monitor and protect rhinos in real time.
Through innovative AI-powered collars, the team can continuously analyse rhino behaviour, detecting signs of distress, illness, or potential poaching threats. This technology enables rangers to intervene before situations escalate—particularly critical for monitoring the elusive black rhino, which is notoriously difficult to track in dense bushveld terrain.
Guests are invited to witness this groundbreaking work firsthand, participating in the placement of AI collars, tracking wildlife alongside expert guides, and gaining a deep understanding of modern conservation in action. Beyond security, the system provides invaluable data for research and is shared across Africa to strengthen rhino conservation continent-wide.
(Images: Jumeirah Thanda Safari)
