It's not every day you get to celebrate your namesake, and when it’s World Rhino Day, you know it’s going to be something spectacular. For us at Rhino Africa, this isn’t just a tick on the calendar – it’s a day that represents our purpose, passion, and identity. This year, we’ve dialled up the excitement with a challenge that pushed our Crash’s creativity, teamwork, and rhino knowledge to the limit. Trust us, it was one for the books! Here's what we got up to...
The Rhino Crash was set loose in one of Cape Town's most iconic destinations for World Rhino Day 2024
World Rhino Day Just Got Interesting
Each year, our Crash (yes, that’s what you call a group of rhinos, and quite fitting for our team) pulls out all the stops for World Rhino Day. We’ve painted murals, paraded down Cape Town’s promenade, and spread awareness for our beloved endangered species. But this year, whispers of a mysterious challenge got everyone buzzing.
The details of the challenge were kept secret. However, we were told to brush up on our rhino facts and get ready for something epic. There was even talk of a grand prize – an all-expenses-paid conservation safari in KwaZulu-Natal with one of our Impact Partners, Wildlife ACT. Excitement levels? Through the roof.
Wildlife ACT Fund is a non-profit trust on a mission to save our planet's endangered wildlife, Image Credit: Wildlife ACT
Rallying the Rhino Crash
The day finally arrived for our World Rhino Day celebrations, along with the much-anticipated "challenge". But first, we gathered at the One&Only Cape Town for our quarterly All-Hands meeting. This time, though, it was far from the usual company updates.
As we entered One&Only’s ballroom – transformed for the occasion – we found beautifully branded Rhino Africa caps waiting on our seats. Even better, each cap represented a donation to The Wildlife ACT in honour of World Rhino Day 2024 – a contribution we were all proud to be part of.
Our company All-Hands and World Rhino Day kicked off at the One&Only, but with a twist
Ready, Set, Rhino!
It wasn’t long before we noticed something odd during the presentation... Interesting facts about rhinos kept popping up at the bottom of the slides. Were they clues? Part of the challenge? You could see the wheels turning as Crash members caught on and eagerly began scribbling notes.
After the presentation, the big moment arrived. The entire Crash were split into fifteen teams and handed envelopes, each containing a map of the V&A Waterfront and detailed instructions. The challenge for World Rhino Day 2024 was officially on!
With world-class restaurants, entertainment and shops, the V&A Waterfront pulses with energy, Image Credit: V&A Waterfront
Complete 3 Tasks Before Finding The Boss
Our instructions? Simple: navigate the V&A Waterfront, complete three tasks, and prove your rhino knowledge and creativity. Oh, and the fourth task? We had to figure out where David Ryan, our Founder and CEO, was hiding before time ran out. Easy, right?
Following the challenge instructions to a tee was key
Task 1: What's in a Name?
First up, we had to come up with a team name. And boy, did we get imaginative. From the “Hornados” to “The Snorticuses” and the cheeky “Horn Stars”, everyone let loose. Some names were downright outrageous, setting the tone for World Rhino Day 2024. Once we’d christened our teams, we moved on to the next task.
Meet Team "Rhymenoceroses" – itching to get winning!
Task 2: Strike a Pose
The second challenge turned up the heat with a photo task that had us flexing our creative muscles. The mission? Snap a team photo at our favourite V&A Waterfront landmark while answering this crucial question: how many rhino species exist in the world? For those playing along at home, the answer is five!
Teams scrambled to iconic spots like the oversized Table Mountain frame, Nobel Square, the beautiful rhino sculptures and The Contours of the Cape installation.
Team "Blitz" really ramped up the spirit of World Rhino Day
Team "Hornados" pulled a power move, borrowing five rhino plushies from a curio shop and staging a high-drama scene featuring an evil poacher targeting the cute, vulnerable toys.
Teams "Hornados", "Roy's Rhinos", "Thundering Horns" and "The Naughty Horns" seriously spread the Rhino magic
Meanwhile, Team "Snorticuses" took it up a notch, climbing to the rooftop of the iconic Silo Hotel and laying down to form a human number five, all while the majestic Table Mountain towered impressively in the background.
Teams "First in Line" and "The Snorticuses" got down and dirty, while "Rhorny" and "The Horny Bunch" struck pro-level poses
But it was Team "Horn Stars" who took genius to criminal levels – literally collaborating with the South African Police Service to stage an arrest of one team member while the rest of the Horn Stars struck poses through the windows of a police van, flashing five fingers in a rebellious stand against rhino poaching.
The ideas were wild, the execution was flamboyant, and the competition? Utterly fierce. With every eye on the prize and a crowd of curious onlookers, there was no doubt we were raising serious awareness for World Rhino Day 2024.
The "Sumatrans" and "Horny Big 6" nailed balanced compositions, while "Celebrity Horns" and "Horn Stars" got extra innovative
Task 3: Rhino Ambassadors
Next up: time to flex those rhino facts! For Task 3, we had to dig deep and remember the clues from our All-Hands presentation – hopefully, something stuck! Each team hit the V&A Waterfront to find a member of the public, drop some rhino knowledge, and capture the whole thing in a snappy 25-second video.
From street performers and souvenir sellers to Tim the Belgian tourist (a legend) and even the pirate captain of the Jolly Roger, we found no shortage of curious listeners ready for a crash course in rhino trivia.
The "Horny Rhinos" were very informative with their rhino facts and shared some Rhino Africa trivia, too – now that's commitment!
And the fun facts we dished out? For starters, white and black rhinos? Yeah, neither are white nor black – they’re grey. International World Rhino Day 2024 lands on the 22nd of September, in case you need an excuse to party.
A rhino’s horn? Not even attached to its skull (crazy, right?). And they’re big fans of mud baths. Oh, and let's not forget, rhinos communicate via honks, sneezes, and yes, even their faeces! Maybe that last part stuck with us for obvious reasons... but hey, it's crucial info in the rhino world.
Terence and Monique musing over photo submissions as they come in – a HUGE shout-out to them for coordinating the whole event!
Task 4: Where in the Waterfront is David?
The last challenge? We had to track down David at a secret spot in the V&A Waterfront – and the timing had to be perfect, before 15:50, not a second too soon or too late. The only clue? "Keep your eye on the Clock".
But hey, we're the pros when it comes to Cape Town, so it didn’t take us long. Sure enough, we found him standing proudly by the famous Victorian Gothic Clock Tower, looking every bit like the Port Captain himself, watching over the harbour back in the 1800s.
Tick tock, keep your eyes on the Clock!
The Aftermath: Drinks, Buzz, and the Winning Team
After the challenge, the Crash gathered for celebratory drinks and to swap stories of the day’s adventures. The energy was electric – everyone was buzzing from the thrill of the tasks, the teamwork, and the rhino facts we’d picked up along the way.
World Rhino Day 2024 celebratory drinks
In the end, only one team could claim the grand prize. After a tense, edge-of-your-seat wait, the "Horn Stars” sailed to victory! By smooth-talking their way past local law enforcement and exercising some top-tier pirate banter – they didn’t just think outside the box; they blew it wide open, securing their spot on next year’s Conservation Safari with Wildlife ACT. Well done, guys!
As the day drew to a close, we all felt like winners in the end as we reflected on the true meaning of celebrating World Rhino Day. Beyond the fun and friendly competition, it was about honouring and spreading awareness of this magnificent creature that fuels everything we do at Rhino Africa. When rhinos thrive, we all do.
Team "Horn Stars" walking with clear confidence in their stride and conviction in their eyes – they knew they had this in the bag!
Join the Journey with Rhino Africa
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