A New Funding Model for Conservation Leaders: Competitive Philanthropy
In Collaboration with CSIwildProjectSnare Rhino
Turning seized poaching weapons into conservation funding through art, community, and blockchain transparency.
Millions of Wire Snares.
Countless Lives Lost.
Every year across Africa, millions of wire snares are set by poachers, which are indiscriminate traps that inflict slow, agonizing deaths on wildlife. Rhinos, elephants, lions, and antelope are among the most vulnerable. These are not distant statistics. They are animals dying today, in silence, far from human view.
Rhinos
Critically endangered and prime targets for poachers seeking horn.
Elephants
Majestic herds decimated by ivory trade and wire trap injuries.
Lions
Apex predators caught in snares meant for other animals.
Antelope
Among the most frequently snared animals on the continent.
CSIwild
CSIwild is a non-profit organization, founded by Vianna von Weyhausen, dedicated to protecting endangered wildlife. Through the training of elite canine units - in anti-poaching tactics, wildlife and contraband detection, scientific research support, environmental impact assessment, disease detection, combatting the Illicit Wildlife Trade, and the detection and removal of poachers' snares from the bush, CSIwild makes a significant impact on species survival.
A Couple of Many CSIwild K9 Units:
K9 Nova and Polishore Thete
K9 Victor
K9 Catleila and Vianna von Weyhausen
These dogs are specially trained to locate hidden wire traps across vast landscapes, a method that is both highly effective and rarely used at this scale.
A Symbol Cast in Wire
From the weapons of poachers, a monument to resilience is born.
The Artwork
Seized wire snares, the very weapons of poachers, are hand-coiled into a full-scale rhinoceros sculpture. Every wire loop tells a story of survival.
What It Represents
Each strand of wire stands for wildlife saved from poaching traps. The sculpture is a living monument to every animal that escaped, and every one that didn't.
Permanent Stewardship
The sculpture is permanently curated by CSIwild, a non-profit wildlife protection organization, ensuring it stays in service of conservation.
Artist Conraad de Rosner with the completed Snare Rhino sculpture
Conraad de Rosner: Artist and Conservationist
The Snare Rhino was created by conservation artist Conraad de Rosner, who leads field efforts through his organization, K9 Conservation. His teams train both the dogs and rangers responsible for detecting and removing snares in the wild.
From the Field to the Gallery
Working together, CSIwild and K9 Conservation deploy canine units to locate snares, remove them safely, and prevent further harm to wildlife. Each recovered snare becomes part of the Snare Rhino, transforming a weapon of poaching into a symbol of conservation.
“Every loop of wire is a trap that will never kill again.”
Guardian of the Rhino
A single digital token represents an extraordinary title: Guardian of the Rhino.
Only one person or organization can hold it at a time, and anyone can become the next Guardian by donating more to conservation than the previous holder.
This is Competitive Philanthropy , a bold new funding model where leaders from the corporate, philanthropic, and Web3 communities compete not for profit, but for the privilege of protecting wildlife. Every challenge raises the floor of conservation funding.
The Guardian Lifecycle
A continuous cycle of conservation leadership, where each Guardian drives the mission forward.
Become the Guardian
Contribute more than the last Guardian to become the new Guardian.
Build Your Streak
Stay Guardian and accumulate streaks for more benefits.
Earn Token Badges
Get badges reflecting your donation magnitude.
Ready to become part of the legacy?
What the Guardian Receives
Global Recognition
Your name or brand permanently associated with the world's most iconic conservation sculpture series.
Guardian Registry
Permanently listed on the public Guardian Registry, a transparent, blockchain-verified record of conservation leaders.
Display Rights
As Guardian, you gain the exclusive right to host and display the sculpture at your venue, event, or headquarters, subject to CSIwild approval.
Conservation Visit
An invitation to visit CSIwild in the field, see the dogs, meet the rangers, and witness the frontline.
Web3 Recognition
The Guardian token lives on-chain, a verifiable, permanent, and public record of your commitment to conservation.
The Guardian holds the title, and the story.
CSIwild: Proven Results on the Ground
Snare Rhino Is Only the Beginning
Each sculpture in the series is built from seized poaching materials and capable of generating ongoing conservation funding through the Guardian model.
The Cycle Is the Story
Snares Seized
Sculptures Created
Funds Raised
Dogs Trained
More Snares Collected
Snare Rhino
The first in the series, now complete. The sculpture that launched a new model for conservation funding.
Snare Falcon
Future work in the series. A tribute to birds of prey threatened by illegal trapping and habitat loss.
Snare Cheetah
Future work in the series. Highlighting one of Africa's fastest but most endangered big cats.
Snare Elephant
Future work in the series. Honoring one of Africa's most iconic and imperiled species.
A New Funding Model for Conservation Leaders
Competitive Philanthropy invites a new generation of conservation champions. Whether you represent a Fortune 500 company, a blockchain foundation, or a family office with a mission, the Guardian title is open to anyone willing to lead.
Blockchain Founders
Pioneer a new use case for tokenized giving in the Web3 ecosystem.
Corporate Sponsors
Align your brand with authentic, transparent, and measurable conservation impact.
Philanthropists
Compete for a title that elevates your legacy and grows conservation funding with every challenge.
Crypto Companies
Demonstrate the real-world power of blockchain technology applied to global conservation.
Snare Rhino is a
Tokenized Philanthropy Initiative
A bold convergence of art, community, and blockchain transparency in service of wildlife protection.
Art
Seized snares become life-size sculptures, enduring symbols of conservation and transformation.
Community
Leaders from Corporate, Philanthropy, and Web3 compete to protect wildlife, raising the stakes with every challenge.
Blockchain Transparency
One Guardian. One token. A verifiable, public record of every contribution and every title transfer.
Contact Us
Interested in becoming the Guardian, partnering with CSIwild, or learning more about the initiative? We'd love to hear from you.