The James Banks Foundation is a longtime patron of the nonprofit Elephants, Rhinos & People (ERP), a leading Southern African megafauna conservation specialist.

ERP recently established a canine rhino protection unit, to guard rhinos moved over from a vulnerable game reserve, to ERP’s new high-security rhino sanctuary in the Northwest Province of South Africa. The sanctuary is located on a 15,000-plus acre reserve (now known as ‘Melorane ERP Game Reserve’) over which ERP holds a 90-year lease, adjacent to Madikwe Game Reserve, the fifth-largest conservation area in South Africa. In due course, portions of the reserve will be incorporated into the larger Madikwe reserve, with which ERP’s property has a common boundary fence.

The canine unit is ‘staffed’ with the Belgian Malinois breed, and there are four puppies that are currently undergoing specialist rhino protection training. They all have champion bloodlines and already show great promise in pack tracking, sniffing and guarding. Two of them are males, and we are delighted that one of them has been named in honor of the founder of the James Banks Foundation.

Here is a gallery of recent photos of young Ranger Jim, and we also have pleasure in providing you with the attached video describing the history of the Melorane ERP Game Reserve. The community has benefitted over the years in general and through specific interventions, from the generosity of the James Banks Foundation.