About
The International Rhino Foundation (IRF) is a U.S.-based conservation nonprofit working toward "a world where rhinos thrive in the wild." Founded in 1991 in response to a severe poaching crisis facing Zimbabwe's black rhinos, IRF now supports conservation of all five remaining rhino species — black, white, greater one-horned, Javan, and Sumatran — through programs across Africa and Asia. The organization is a registered 501(c)(3) headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas.
Mission
IRF's mission is "to ensure the survival of rhinos through strategic partnerships, targeted protection, and scientifically sound interventions." Its work is guided by five core values: integrity, collaboration, adaptability, sound decision-making, and long-term commitment to key conservation partners.
What they do
- Support anti-poaching and protection efforts, including Rhino Protection Units first established in Sumatra in 1995 and the OPERATION: Stop Poaching Now campaign launched in 2011
- Operate and support the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary in Indonesia, where construction began in 1996
- Fund scientific research, habitat conservation, captive breeding, environmental education, and demand-reduction efforts
- Run public campaigns such as Keep the Five Alive, Reforestation For Rhinos, and World Rhino Day (September 22), which IRF launched in 2011
- Work in countries including India, Indonesia (Java and Sumatra), Namibia, Nepal, South Africa, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe
History
The organization was established in 1991 as the International Black Rhino Foundation by a group of concerned individuals and institutions responding to the decimation of Zimbabwe's black rhino population. In 1993, recognizing the broader crisis affecting all rhino species, it expanded its mission and became the International Rhino Foundation, with Tom Foose as its first executive director. Milestones include the 2001 birth of Andalas, "the first Sumatran rhino born in captivity in over 100 years," and the 2012 birth of Andatu, the first Sumatran rhino born at an Indonesian facility in more than a century. Dr. Susie Ellis served as executive director from 2006, and Nina Fascione assumed the role in 2020.
Scale and impact
IRF reports investing more than $20 million in rhino conservation over the past decade, with active conservation programs across 10 countries. The foundation says its early work helped virtually eliminate the poaching threat to Zimbabwe's black rhinos and stabilize that population.
Financials
According to ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, for the fiscal year ending September 2025 the International Rhino Foundation reported revenue of $4,355,688, expenses of $4,099,548, and total assets of $2,241,632. The IRS granted its tax exemption in December 1997.
