It started when Penn Medicine nurse Heather Smith from Media had the highest bid at a charity auction on an African wildlife safari, writes Rita Giordano for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

She was captivated by the 2015 trip, particularly by the rhinos—huge, quiet animals with stunning horns.

It started her passion for helping Africa’s animals.

 “I wanted to make sure what I experienced would always be there.”

The rhinos were being killed by poachers for their horns.

Smith joined Rhinos Without Borders, relocating rhinos from high poach areas in South Africa to safer Botswana.

She and some colleagues raised $10,000 toward the cost of the relocation.

in 2016, Smith founded the all-volunteer Pennsylvania Rhino Conservation Advocates. It’s raised $250,000, funding the move of two more rhinos.

PARCA also supports Ribbon, a rhino orphan living at the Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary in South Africa.

Funds also pay for equipment and supplies for park rangers, animal reserves and rhino dehorning to discourage lethal poaching.

PARCA helps host trips to Africa so people can experience the animals themselves.

“You help,” she said. “You don’t just give money”.

Read more at The Philadelphia Inquirer about  Heather Smith and her work on behalf of animals in Africa.

Rhinos are being dehorned in the wild so poachers no longer have a reason to kill them.