BMW Group South Africa Celebrates a successful year of partnership with the Rhino Orphanage

Midrand, South Africa – BMW Group South Africa this month proudly celebrates a successful year of partnership with The Rhino Orphanage in Limpopo Province, South Africa.

Since the start of the partnership late in 2018, the Rhino Orphanage has rescued and reared baby rhinos orphaned by poachers. In the same period, the Rhino Orphanage has managed to successfully release eight rhinos saved by the Rhino Orphanage back into the wild.

To celebrate this, BMW Group South Africa today has released a short film on its social media channels and on the BMW Group South Africa PressClub.

Making progress in the fight against the scourge of poaching.

The Rhino Orphanage is a charity based in Limpopo Province, and was founded by Arrie Van Deventer in 2012. The orphanage is the first specialist, dedicated, non-commercial centre that cares for orphaned and injured baby rhinos with the only aim of releasing them back into the wild. It was created as the result of a lack of a specialised place for rearing baby rhinos that have been orphaned as a consequence of the current poaching crisis.

Mr Van Deventer says that the orphanage is “making good progress”. “Our work never stops and we are very busy. We are making a difference,” he said. Mr Van Deventer said that all of the orphaned baby rhinos saved this year “were fetched by the BMW X3”.

“We towed four in a trailer, and for the others we put the seats down and put them into the car,” he said.

Mr Van Deventer said that all of the rescued rhinos released back into the wild this year are “doing exceptionally well.”

“They’ve adapted perfectly to the wild and are thriving,” Mr Van Deventer said.

BMW’s partnership has made an enormous difference. Mr Van Deventer said the two BMW X3s loaned to the Orphanage have made a large contribution to the Rhino Orphanage’s ongoing success.

“It means the world to us. We really use these cars, we take them off-road to fetch the babies and to fight veld fires, and I have never towed with a car as good as this.”

A long-term commitment to South Africa and its people.

Tim Abbott, CEO: BMW Group South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, said he was “humbled” at the amount of hard work that has gone into the Rhino Orphanage.

“When we ramped up to start production of the BMW X3 at BMW Group Plant Rosslyn last year, we saw an opportunity to do something like this with this robust 4x4 we build in Africa, for Africa,” Mr Abbott said.

“It really is humbling to see. These people work around the clock to save the rhino babies, and it’s been such a thrill for us at BMW to assist in what they are doing.”

“Ultimately this is about protecting South Africa’s unique natural heritage, and it’s a small part of the broader work we’re doing in education and health working with communities, especially around Rosslyn, where we build the BMW X3.”

“We build more than just cars in South Africa,” Mr Abbott concluded.