We have come a long way since 1999, when the first group of ground-hornbills was released at the Mabula Private Game Reserve in Limpopo, marking the establishment of the project. Partnerships have been formed, chicks have been rescued and reared, birds have been rehabilitated and released, awareness has been raised, and people across South Africa have rallied together, all in an effort to turn things around for ground-hornbills. The project is now the lead agency for the conservation of the species across South Africa and is working hard to support neighbouring range-states to grow their own ground-hornbill conservation programmes.
Who We Are
Our Story
Our Focus
The MGHP has a mission to slow, and then reverse the decline of the Southern Ground-hornbill in southern Africa. We focus our conservation attention beyond the borders of formally protected areas to create a network of custodians that lead the conservation for their own resident ground-hornbill groups. All of our work is supported by charitable and in-kind donations and conservation grants.
Slow and then Reverse the Decline
Our Charitable Status
The MGHP is registered as a South African Non-Profit Organisation (NPO – 016-183) and a Public Benefit Organisation (PBO – 13/00/00/723), which means that bona fide donations made in cash or in-kind to the MGHP by South African taxpayers, whether companies or individuals are entitled to a deduction from taxable income.
Our Board of Directors ensures that we remain on track, both in terms of our constitutional mandate and fiscal responsibility.
Financial reports are prepared annually by Elsa Taylor and Associates, and you are welcome to request a copy of our latest financial report.
Our Partners
We are extremely proud to present our partners to you. Please feel free to visit their websites and see what they do.
Without them, this Project would not exist. If you would like to be part of the future of this species then please get in touch.
Conservation Partners
In-kind Support
Our Affiliations
BirdLife Species Guardian
In response to the rapidly increasing threat of bird extinctions, BirdLife International launched the BirdLife Preventing Extinctions Programme made up of Species Guardians and Species Champions. BirdLife Species Guardians are individuals or organisations that take responsibility for the conservation action, whereas BirdLife Species Champions are companies, organisations, or individuals who financially support the prevention of extinction of a globally threatened bird species.
The MGHP has been the BirdLife South Africa Species Guardian for the conservation of the Southern Ground-hornbill since 2012. As the Species Guardian, the Mabula Ground Hornbill Project is responsible for fulfilling their role within the Southern Ground-hornbill Species Recovery Plan which covers research, direct conservation actions and continued education and awareness – but now with the full support of the BirdLife family.
We are looking for a formal Species Champion(s) for the Mabula Ground Hornbill Project and thus urge interested companies, or individuals, to contact Dr Hanneline Smit-Robinson at hanneline.smit-robinson@birdlife.org.za; or Dr Lucy Kemp project@ground-hornbill.org.za.
Ethical Conservation Alliance Member
The Ethical Conservation Alliance is a force multiplier – it is changing the way conservation is practised across the world’s lands and oceans and we are a part of this drive to making conservation efforts around the world more ethical. We are keenly aware of the history of top-down and coercive conservation efforts that have led to extreme injustices and marginalization of local and indigenous communities throughout the world.
IUCN SSC Hornbill Specialist Group
Lucy Kemp is the IUCN SSC HSG co-chair (Africa) to support the HSG to lead conservation for the 30 species in Africa. There are currently serious and escalating threats to these hornbills, including habitat destruction and trade. Many taxa lack a global conservation strategy to address these threats. We help guide such processes.
IUCN SSC Conservation Planning Specialist Group
Our director is a facilitator for the CPSG. The CPSG’s mission is to save threatened species by increasing the effectiveness of conservation efforts worldwide. For 40 years, they accomplished this by using scientifically sound, collaborative processes that bring together people with diverse perspectives and knowledge to catalyze positive conservation change. They provide species conservation planning expertise to governments, other Specialist Groups, zoos and aquariums, and other wildlife organizations.