As an integral part of the African Experience trip Diana hosts every year, active participation in a field rhino dehorning is the highlight.  All hands are on deck, from monitoring movement of the herd, right down to being in the chase vehicle to prep the sedated rhino chosen for dehorning, blood work, and research.  While no one wants to remove the horn from the rhino in nature, doing so increases their chance of survival by 85%.  Rhino’s biggest and most dangerous predator is the poacher.  By removing the valuable horn, it can take away the value poacher’s place on a rhino.

Mankwe Reserve is in the North West Province of South Africa and hosts the annual trips.  Mankwe is an ecology research-based reserve that works with scientists, university students, and conservation groups.

Permits must be put into place, veterinarians secured, proper equipment on hand, and a fleet of vehicles or a helicopter is lined up and ready to roll out.  Being part of a rhino dehorning is by far the most emotionally charged experience of the conservation trips Diana hosts.

The rush of adrenaline hits you in the early morning light as you ride beneath the helicopter, watching the veterinarian deliver a tranquilizer dart with precision and grace. That surge doesn’t fade; it intensifies as your chase vehicle arrives, and you’re tasked with monitoring the heart rate of a 2,000-pound giant slowly succumbing to sedation.

Adrenaline gives way to concern as the team gently blindfolds the rhino and inserts earplugs, shielding it from the chaos of the outside world. Concern turns to unease when the horn is sawed off and its edges ground smooth. But that unease transforms into fierce loyalty—you know you’ve played a role in protecting this chubby unicorn from the brutal reality of poaching.

Loyalty deepens into a profound love as you continue to care for your new charge, staying close until it’s time to move on to the next. That love doesn’t fade with the setting sun or the end of your day. It follows you through the rest of your journey in Africa, and long after you’ve returned to your life in the U.S. You carry it with you, tucked close to your heart, a quiet reminder of the lives you touched and the wild you helped preserve.

Small reserves like Mankwe are the beating heart of conservation in South Africa. Run by the legendary father-daughter duo, Dougal and Lynne Mactavish, Mankwe stands as a sanctuary fiercely devoted to protecting endangered species and preserving biodiversity.

Their mission goes beyond protection; it’s rooted in education and collaboration. By opening their reserve to university students and conservationists, they create a living classroom where knowledge meets action. Researchers gain rare access to observe wildlife in its natural habitat, gathering insights that help extend the lives and improve the survival chances of species teetering on the edge of extinction.

Thanks to places like Mankwe, conservation isn’t just a concept. It’s a daily practice, a legacy in motion, and a promise to future generations.