The largest rhino farm in the world in South Africa is up for auction

The auction of the world’s largest rhino breeding project starts in South Africa on Wednesday. Owner John Hume says he owns it nearly 2,000 endangered white rhinoceroses on his farm «Platinum Rhino» in the north of the country.

That is more than 12 percent of the estimated 16,000 white rhinos worldwide. The starting price of The auction, which runs until May 1, will cost $10 million (9 million euros). Bidding can begin at 9 a.m., spokeswoman and daughter-in-law Tammy Hume said.

The 81-year-old has been breeding white rhinos for over 30 years. More than 1,800 rhino calves were born on his 8,500-acre farm, which he describes as “the world’s largest private rhino conservation project”.. According to the farm’s website, the project should help increase the dwindling number of white rhinos on the African continent. The rhinoceroses live permanently on the farm grounds.

No income

The spokeswoman said John Hume hopes to find a passionate buyer willing to invest many millions of euros in the project. “John has self-funded the project so far. Now he has no money.” The annual operating costs amount to almost three million euros and no income is generated. “The reward is what the farm does to protect the rhinos,” Hume said.

According to the spokeswoman, a large part of the running costs are caused by security measures to protect the rhinos from poachers. The horn of the animals is especially popular in China and Vietnam, where it is believed to have aphrodisiac and healing powers. The horns are made of keratin, the same material as human fingernails.

Despite the international ban on rhino horn trade, at least 2,707 African rhinos have been poached between 2018 and 2021, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). 90 percent of the cases came from South Africa, where most rhinoceroses live. (oee/sda/dpa)