African rhino conservancy plans to raise funds auctioning horn NFTs

The Black Rhino is a prominent endangered species conservation organization with over 200 rhinos currently residing there. The reserve will auction Rhino horn non fungible tokens (NFTs) to raise money for threatened animals.

The conservation organization in South Africa released a statement, stating that the revenue made from the November 11 sale will be used to cover day-to-day expenses at the sanctuary. The statement added that any remaining funds would go toward safeguarding the area, feeding, and vaccines.

The conservation has teamed up with Virtual Nation Builders, a blockchain technology business, to sell the NFTs on Momint. Momint is one of South Africa’s largest NFTs marketplace

The Give a Horn campaign, which was launched by the Black Rhino and Virtual Nation Builders (VRNB) last week, is aimed at raising awareness for rhino conservation. Only 5,000 non-fungible tokens are available for purchase for R100 each. Virtual nation builders has also created a live stream that will begin on November 11th. The NFTs auction will be held on Momint, one of South Africa’s largest NFT marketplaces.

The funding will also assist conservationists in their efforts to reduce rhinoceros deaths, which have been on the rise. According to Black Rhino, the rhino population has decreased from 18,000 to 2000 in government-controlled reserves during the last ten years.

Environmental friendly NFTs

The black rhinoceros is the world’s second most endangered animal. Poachers are blamed for the animal population’s decrease. Some experts, on the other hand, believe that Rhinos’ hazardous horns are a major cause of mortality. As a result, they suggest that horns be removed to reduce fatalities.

However, international trade of rhino horn was banned by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in 1977.

Because of the ban, conservationists anticipate that realistic horn NFTs will generate more money through the auction as a result of their digital and photograph realism. This will also enable rhino enthusiasts to acquire a rhino horn without breaking the law..

The Black Rhino Conservancy is the latest organization to adopt blockchain technology in order to protect rhinos from poaching. In June 2021, Saving the Survivors, Lady Rocket Foundation, and Copernic Space announced the formation of a collection of NFTs for Satellite Rhino with a goal of raising funds to keep rhinos from being hunted down.

The group has committed additional resources to the preservation of the rapidly declining rhino population in South Africa. They believe that utilizing cutting-edge technology might help animal rescue operations greatly.

This is not the first time crypto products have been used to protect animals. As reported by The Coinrise, El Salvador president Nayib Bukele announced that the country would use a portion of its $4 million BTC profits to building an animal hospital.