Saving Rhinos With SORAI & Hublot

The Cambridge dictionary describes patrimony as “the valuable objects, buildings, ideas, etc. that a society gets from the people who have lived in the past”.  The Swiss watch industry is arguably one greatest acts of artistic patrimony in Europe. Many of the horological and artistic traditions practised would have long ago disappeared had it not been for their efforts.

For an industry staffed with people highly attuned to preserve culture, it comes as no surprise that they take a similarly sensitive view in terms of helping others outside of the industry. Hublot’s recent announcement to partner with Kevin Pietersen and SORAI (Save Our Rhinos Africa and India) to protect rhinos, follows a long list of charitable endeavours including participation in the Only Watch Charitable Auction, numerous charitable soccer matches and efforts in raising funds to give residents in developing countries access to drinking water.

The ex-international cricket star, and Hublot brand ambassador, is now able to dedicate himself entirely to a cause very close to his heart: saving the rhinos found in Africa and in Asia, now a matter of urgency. Hunted for their highly valuable horns, two thirds of species could be lost in our lifetime. To help prevent this, abandoned, injured, or orphaned baby rhinos are located and cared for by teams of specialists actively supported by Kevin Pietersen, before being released back into the wild as soon as they are ready. South Africa is home to more than 80% of the world’s rhinos, and the majority of poaching incidents take place in Kruger national park.

“There are around 28,000 rhinos remaining worldwide, 23 times fewer than there are African elephants! Poaching is one of the main threats they face. Major steps have been taken by governments to introduce regulations but informing consumers and changing their behaviour remains a key challenge in the fight against poaching. If Hublot can play a role in raising awareness, then I would be delighted.” Ricardo Guadalupe (CEO of Hublot)

“Our planet is home to five species of rhinoceros: the Black rhino and the White rhino, which live in Africa, and the Sumatran, Javan and Indian rhino, which inhabit the tropical forests and swamps of Asia. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, of these five species, the Black, Javan and Sumatran rhino are now considered “critically endangered”, White rhino are “nearly threatened” and Indian rhino are “vulnerable”. I am appalled by the brutality they face. There is an urgent need for action, and Hublot’s support for this is crucial. By reducing the time it takes to act, we can protect as many rhinos as possible.” Kevin Pietersen (Founder of SORAI)

More information on SORAI here

And for more on Hublot