The Waterberg Landscape Alliance, originally established as Save the Waterberg Rhino, was formed at the end of 2012 in response to the surge in rhino poaching that began affecting the Waterberg around 2010. The core objective was to bring rhino owners, private landowners, conservation reserves, and security personnel together to work collaboratively rather than in isolation. This collective approach enabled the sharing of information, resources, and capacity, as well as coordinated planning, joint deployment of technology, and the development of shared protocols. By combining efforts, partners were better positioned to conduct coordinated operations and disrupt wildlife crime, leading to more effective detection and apprehension of offenders.

The outcomes of the Waterberg’s collective approach have been exceptional. Over time, this collaboration has built a well-resourced and highly experienced conservation and security capacity, resulting in a trusted Greater Waterberg Network that has been supported and facilitated by the Waterberg Landscape Alliance for more than thirteen years. Through WLA, the Waterberg has received critical financial support to combat rhino poaching from organisations including Baby Rhino Rescue, the Rhino Recovery Fund (Wildlife Conservation Network), My Planet Rhino, ConservEarth, Tusk (UK), and The Waterberg Trust, as well as from numerous individual donors who have contributed directly or undertaken fundraising initiatives on WLA’s behalf (check out our Donor Appreciation Page). In addition, WLA has played a central facilitation role by providing effective platforms for communication, coordination, and collective action across the landscape.

The effectiveness of the Waterberg’s approach is demonstrated by both consistently low rhino poaching rates and strong law-enforcement outcomes. In the Waterberg, poachers are more than ten times more likely to be arrested and successfully convicted than in other major rhino-poaching hotspots.