A smile is (probably) scientifically proven to be infectious. It spreads like wildfire in a crowd and can change someone’s entire face. It is associated with all the good stuff like love, happiness, joy, comfort, and humour, and it sends a message of friendship. In a world like this, celebrating a day like World Smile Day gives us permission to take a break from the hardship and the fight, and allows us to embrace innocence and pleasure. 

So, on that note, we want to share some of the reasons we have to smile today.

Conservation success stories from the organisations that work hard to make a difference. 

While the fight is tough and the going isn’t easy, sometimes things work out and these amazing people on the front line get to breathe a sigh of relief. We hope these make you smile on World Smile Day!

Nkome Rhino and its partners managed to sponsor the dehorning of all of rhino in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve – 95 individuals in total.

“During April, in a nine-day period between the 14th and 22nd, the entire populations of both black and white rhinos of the reserve were captured and dehorned. This hugely successful mass capture operation was generously sponsored by Nkombe Rhino, who are a non-profit NGO who have assisted a number of local conservation areas with funding for their rhino management initiatives,” said KPNR Warden, Colin Rowles.

Wild Tomorrow Fund joined forces with local volunteer group Snare Aware and students from Bhejane Nature Training on World Ranger Day to do a sweep for snares on Bonamanzi Private Nature Reserve. Together, they successfully removed 73 cable snares over the weekend, which will undoubtedly save dozens or more innocent animals from dying slow and painful deaths. 

“At Wild Tomorrow Fund’s newly protected wildlife reserves in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, our rangers have removed 555 snares since we began counting in 2019,” the organisation reported. 

The Backwater Sanctuary has given another two retired sporting horses a loving home to live in peace and spend the rest of their lives wild and free. Space, freedom, and tender, loving care is the order of the day for Tunisia and Rebellion in their new home at the Sanctuary. Founder and friend of Wild in Africa, Zoha Jung, had the following to say about her life’s work with equines in India:

“And so as I take in the old and retired, and send back the rehabilitated and healthy, we have a beautiful little system in place, one that I’m very proud of. As the years go by I hope we will continue to better the lives of all the horses, be it working or streeties, within our reach.”

We love to read this happy news from three of our affiliated charities which benefit from the proceeds of our charity bracelets. Thank you for supporting us and helping to contribute to these success stories! 

Written by Chloe Cooper

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