It is Europe's largest single-species rhino charity, in terms of funds raised, grants made, and profile and positioning.
SRI began fundraising for in situ rhino conservation projects in 1992 and was formally registered as a charity in 1994.
One of SRI's founder patrons was the British writer and humorist Douglas Adams,[1] who was also known to be a conservation movement enthusiast.
[3] In 2005/6 the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) selected rhinoceros species as the subject of their annual fund-raising and awareness campaign, with direct input from SRI, raising a total of €660,000.
[4][5] Extensive campaigns have also been run in Vietnam with the help of TV actor Paul Blackthorne and Arsenal F.C.