Former international wicketkeeper Mark Boucher and SA Breweries (SAB) joined forces on Tuesday to help save South Africa’s threatened rhino population.

Speaking in Johannesburg at the launch of the SAB-Boucher Conservation Non-Profit Company, Boucher said his partnership with the breweries had served him well during his playing days and he hoped it would continue as they aimed to raise critical funds.

“There are so many passionate people out there fighting rhino poaching every day, and yet we don’t seem to be winning the battle,” Boucher said.

“I believe we should each do our share to help protect the rhino. This type of partnership can make a positive contribution if we focus on a tangible contribution to the larger rhino conservation effort.”

A passionate conservationist, Boucher made a commitment to use his retirement to contribute towards the fight against rhino poaching.

His cricket career ended prematurely when he was struck in the left eye by a flying bail during the Proteas’ tour of England in July this year.

The new company aimed to raise enough money to eventually register all of South Africa’s 18,000 rhinos on a national Rhino DNA database (RhoDIS), established and run by the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory (VGL) at the University of Pretoria’s Faculty of Veterinary Science, Onderstepoort.

The company hoped to raise R1 million in its first year, through its “Rhino in Safe Hands” campaign, while SAB would donate R300,000 towards the set-up costs to ensure 100 percent of the money raised was put towards saving the rhino.

Patrons of the non-profit company included Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Ali Bacher, Ian Player, former SANParks CEO Mavuso Msimang and Richard Emslie, Scientific Officer of the IUCN SSC African Rhino Specialist Group.

“These proven leaders from different sectors are all lending us their credibility and reputations to assist in raising the resources required to meet our objective,” Boucher said.

“Despite the challenges we face today, I am hopeful that by joining forces we can turn the situation around and keep the rhino safe for future generations.”

The DNA profiling enabled recovered horns to be traced and matched to crime sites. The system had been used to successfully prosecute a number of rhino poachers.

By Sapa