South Africas newly gazetted Black and White Rhino Biodiversity Management Plan BMP 2025-2035 marks a shift from traditional, protection-focused conservation to a broader model that links rhino conservation with community participation, economic inclusion and long-term sustainability.
Published by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment in April under the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, the revised plan replaces earlier species-specific strategies with a single national framework for black and white rhino conservation.
The plan was developed through consultation with more than 700 stakeholders, including communities, private rhino owners, traditional leaders and conservation NGOs.
