You can now help save the rhino by eating chocolate, drinking beer and buying toys.
As The Great Big Rhino Trail prepares to launch, Paignton Zoo has opened an online shop for (almost) all things rhino. In addition, there’s a dedicated rhino shop to visit in the Zoo.
Zoo spokesperson Phil Knowling: “This is an enjoyable way to support a difficult cause – rhino conservation is hard work, but shopping is fun, especially online!”
The Great Big Rhino shop – https://shop.greatbigrhinos.org.uk/ – stocks toys, stationery, the official souvenir guide book and the collectible rhino miniatures, with 10% of the profit from Great Big Rhino merchandise being donated to the project. It will be live for the duration of the trail.
As for the real-life shop – look out for the large rhino bottom, which is attracting a lot of attention – and a lot of selfies… The pop-up rhino shop is on the walkway overlooking the flamingos. It will be open for the summer season and sells all things rhino, including raffle tickets for the chocolate rhino made by the Cockington Chocolate Company.
Not quite everything rhino related is available from these two outlets. Rhino Ale is only available direct from Bays Brewery and in participating pubs.
The Great Big Rhino Trail is a major free public art exhibition that runs for ten weeks this summer. There are 40 life-size painted rhinos around the streets, parks and open spaces of Exeter and the English Riviera, plus two at railway stations upcountry – Bristol Temple Meads and London Paddington. The spectacle is raising awareness and funds to help Critically Endangered wild rhinos.
The Great Big Rhinos launches on Saturday 30th July. Money raised will be channelled through Save the Rhino International. Rhinos have been around for 40 million years. There are five species: black, white, greater one-horned, Javan and Sumatran. All of these are threatened with extinction – three are Critically Endangered as defined by the IUCN (World Conservation Union). This means that they will not survive without massive and urgent action.
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