In 2017, he told National Geographic that he spends $170,000 a month on security, feed and veterinary services. The ranch's website states that Hume, a hotel mogul, has invested more than $150 million of his own money into the Platinum Rhino Project since it opened its doors in 2009. While Hume successfully sued the South African government in 2017 to reverse a decades-old moratorium on the domestic sale of rhino horns, the overall effort proved to be less lucrative than he'd projected. By being able to dehorn the massive pachyderms in a humane way and ensuring their survival, Hume said the Platinum Rhino Project would generate enough revenue to cover the large costs associated with managing and conservation of the species. His argument, and that of other private breeders, is that a legal rhino horn trade will drive down black market prices, which the World Animal Foundation estimates is between $15,000 to $30,000 per pound.

(Rhino horns are made of keratin – the substance in human fingernails – and can grow back at a rate of about 7 cm per year.) His plan was to create a breeding farm where the horns could be safely sawn off a living rhino and sold on the open market. Hume established the Platinum Rhino Project, a sprawling 21,000 acre ranch about 100 miles southwest of Johannesburg, in an attempt to legalize the trade of rhino horns, which is banned in most countries. On Wednesday, Hume, who is estimated to own somewhere between 13% to 15% of the world's white rhinos, launched an auction to sell off the 2,000-strong herd in an online sale that's starting at $10 million. Now, he says, he can't afford the upkeep of his crusade.

Stock Photography by Zadvinskiy 3 / 2,440 Rhino illustration raster Stock Image by carlanichiata 3 / 288 Rhino Picture by Gert 1 / 297 Cartoon rhino with blank sign.John Hume has been trying to save the white rhinos of South Africa before they're poached into extinction. Stock Photo by LouisDavilla 4 / 982 Angry rhino on the white background Stock Photography by DinoStores 4 / 151 Rhino Stock Images by Mysmasken 2 / 205 rhinoceros black white Stock Image by insima 4 / 533 White Rhinoceros Stock Photography by JohanSwanepoel 5 / 66 Rhino Ripping Out of Background Stock Photography by dolimac 5 / 279 cute rhino cartoon Stock Photos by lineart 1 / 441 giraffe, elephant and rhino Stock Photo by vencavolrab 5 / 117 angry rhino head ready to attack set inside a circle Stock Photo by patrimonio 2 / 1,541 Cartoon Rhino Crafts Stock Photography by cthoman 3 / 39 Rhino Romance Stock Photography by cthoman 8 / 1,295 Savannah - rhino. Elegant Rhinoceros Stock Images by HunterXt 5 / 173 Vector image of rhino head and text on white background Stock Photo by yod67 2 / 105 White Rhino Stock Image by kobied 3 / 60 Rhino Jumping Stock Photography by cthoman 4 / 427 rhino and sunset Stock Photography by erllre74 1 / 93 Rhino Pencil Pictures by cthoman 4 / 256 Rhino Idea Stock Photographs by cthoman 3 / 203 Businessman Rhino Stock Photographs by cthoman 4 / 301 Cartoon blue rhino charging furiously. Rhino Stock Photography by Dazdraperma 20 / 1,725 Vector image of an rhino Stock Photo by yod67 10 / 447 Karate Rhino Stock Images by cthoman 4 / 542 rhino Pictures by nevarpp 1 / 20 rhino balanced on the line Stock Image by mikeexpert 10 / 179 Cartoon rhino mascots Stock Photography by Seamartini 2 / 180 White Rhino Stock Photography by scooperdigital 2 / 116 rhino silhouettes Picture by humpkin 3 / 442 Rhino isolated on white Stock Image by BrandonSeidel 4 / 119 Red Rhino. Rhino Running Stock Photos by cthoman 9 / 624 Collection of vector images of rhino Stock Photography by Almaviva 12 / 846 Charging Rhino Stock Images by bigredlynx 28 / 2,834 Vector image of rhino head Stock Photo by yod67 15 / 416 Rhino Pictures by sararoom 2 / 250 Rhino Tough Stock Photo by bigredlynx 10 / 1,889 rhino on white background Stock Photo by tiero 7 / 169 Rhino Stock Photography by mikdam 7 / 180 The Rhino Stock Photo by Nici_Kuehl 12 / 1,089 Vector image of an rhino Stock Photos by yod67 5 / 245 Rhino walking Stock Photos by Rudix 7 / 223 Rhino Stock Images by adrenalina 3 / 139 Rhino Sign Stock Photography by cthoman 3 / 314 Mother and baby rhino Stock Photographs by timbooth2770 9 / 192 Rhino Stock Photographs by laurieloveswes 3 / 122 Rhino Sign Stock Photographs by cthoman 7 / 479 Rhino Waving Stock Photos by cthoman 3 / 273 White rhinoceros Stock Images by EcoPicture 19 / 470 Fun zoo.

Picture of rhinoceros