Rhino - Black & White

Discussions and information on all Southern African Mammals
User avatar
Lisbeth
Site Admin
Posts: 67237
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:31 pm
Country: Switzerland
Location: Lugano
Contact:

Re: Rhino - Black & White

Post by Lisbeth »

^Q^ ^Q^


"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
User avatar
Peter Betts
Posts: 3084
Joined: Fri Jun 01, 2012 9:28 am
Country: RSA
Contact:

Re: White Rhino

Post by Peter Betts »

A Lumbering Giant ..Taken with a 500mm lens so the compression makes it look like he is on my lap almost!!
Lumbering Rhino.jpg


User avatar
Richprins
Committee Member
Posts: 75838
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 3:52 pm
Location: NELSPRUIT
Contact:

Re: Rhino - Black & White

Post by Richprins »

:shock: :shock: :shock:

[O] Peter!!


Please check Needs Attention pre-booking: https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=322&t=596
User avatar
Flutterby
Posts: 44150
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:28 pm
Country: South Africa
Location: Gauteng, South Africa
Contact:

Re: Rhino - Black & White

Post by Flutterby »

Great pic! ^Q^ ^Q^


User avatar
Richprins
Committee Member
Posts: 75838
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 3:52 pm
Location: NELSPRUIT
Contact:

Re: Rhino - Black & White

Post by Richprins »

A rare 2017 pic by Bushcraft - 7 together!




Image


Please check Needs Attention pre-booking: https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=322&t=596
User avatar
Alf
Posts: 11606
Joined: Wed Nov 26, 2014 12:40 pm
Country: south africa
Location: centurion
Contact:

Re: Rhino - Black & White

Post by Alf »

Wow ^Q^


Next trip to the bush??

Let me think......................
User avatar
Lisbeth
Site Admin
Posts: 67237
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:31 pm
Country: Switzerland
Location: Lugano
Contact:

Re: Rhino - Black & White

Post by Lisbeth »

Music for blind rhino Munu

BY GUY ROGERS - 06 August 2019

Image
Munu the blind black rhino emerges from his boma at Founders Lodge while a member of the team looking after him keeps a close watch
Image: Fredlin Adriaan


The media and other guests were introduced on Monday to the disabled rhino bull, which listens to music every day and is being housed in a special boma at Founders Lodge, between Port Elizabeth and Makhanda.

Munu was found wandering in a nearby reserve after he was involved in a fight with another black rhino and charged with such force that his retinas became detached.

While he can see nothing, a complex system of sensors and cameras keeps a close eye on him and his immediate surroundings, and links up with a parallel system monitoring the whole Founders property.

The extraordinary system and Munu’s central part in it is the result of a visionary partnership between conservation boss Adrian Gardiner, owner of Founders Lodge, former game farmer and security and artificial intelligence specialist Brett Barlow, the UK-based White Lion Foundation, and SANParks.

Barlow said he hoped the system could, in time, be rolled out across SA and further afield as an efficient, cost-effective way to counter poaching.

“We’re still developing it but it already includes a range of cameras, analytics and artificial intelligence capabilities. Right now, we can keep an eye on Munu from anywhere in the world.”

With the support of Gardiner, Barlow partnered with camera-surveillance companies which wanted to test their products and supplemented them with customised technology capable of picking up motion, following intruders and recognising vehicle number plates even kilometres away.

“The cameras will also alert us if they pick up vehicle plates that have been covered up, which of course poachers have done in the past,” he said.

“If a person comes into the picture anywhere on the property, that camera stays on him and ‘wakes up’ the next one to continue tracking his movements. The aim is to stop poachers before they can make a kill and to hit them for trespassing.

“In terms of security and technology, with imagination and a cheque book there is nothing you cannot achieve.”

“But this is not a commercial project for us – we’re hoping it can be used on other reserves to stop poaching.

“The costs are relatively low but we’re hoping we can establish a subsidy that will help struggling reserves to introduce it as well.”

Key funding for the Munu project came from the fledgling White Lion Foundation whose co-directors Shirley Galligan and Dr John Knight flew out to witness Munu venturing out of his boma into a small, custom camp.

Galligan said they were approached by Barlow and although the organisation only launched in May, they were captivated by Munu’s story.

“This rhino could have died but he has been rescued and given quality of life and, hopefully, in time he will breed and contribute to the survival of his sub-species and his species.

“We’re proud and honoured to be involved and so impressed with the efficiency of the team here at Founders.”

The hope was that Munu would live 20-25 years, she said.

“That means a lifetime cost of about £50,000 [R906,000], so we’re appealing to all our supporters to help with funding.”

Knight, a top vet and wildlife conservation strategist, said it was important to save even one black rhino because there were so few of them.

“This western black rhino or desert sub-species is down to just 254 animals and there are only about 5,500 black rhinos in total left in the world.

“So it’s very important that Munu was rescued.

“He’s comfortable and happy now, which augurs well for breeding hopefully in the future.”

After he was injured, the traumatised animal was transferred first to a boma at the reserve – which has asked not to be named due to security concerns – where he lived.

In an effort to ease his move to Founders, the transfer team created a replica of this first boma where he recovered after his injury, Knight said.

“They even took a sample of the soil and moved it across so it would smell the same to him.”

Because of losing his sight, Munu’s other senses were heightened, making him constantly nervous, and they had to find ways to reduce his stress levels.

“Brett had the excellent idea of introducing a little light music – it’s already a known method used in dairies to calm cattle and increase milking yields, and it seems to be working very well here too, so all day in the background he has some music playing.”

Senior SANParks official Nic de Goede said they had ear-marked a female western black rhino in Namibia and were hoping to bring her across soon to breed with Munu.

“There are western black rhinos closer to home but the aim is to increase and strengthen the gene pool.”

Gardiner, widely credited for sparking the ecotourism boom in the Eastern Cape 25 years ago by buying up stock farms, turning them over to game and establishing Shamwari, said he hoped the Eastern Cape could lead the way in turning the rhino poaching scourge around.

“We are pioneering something great here, I believe.”


"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
User avatar
Richprins
Committee Member
Posts: 75838
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 3:52 pm
Location: NELSPRUIT
Contact:

Re: Rhino - Black & White

Post by Richprins »

:shock:


Please check Needs Attention pre-booking: https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=322&t=596
User avatar
Richprins
Committee Member
Posts: 75838
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 3:52 pm
Location: NELSPRUIT
Contact:

Re: Rhino - Black & White

Post by Richprins »

A 2017 sighting by Stefan near Satara:

Image


phpBB [video]


https://www.traveller24.com/Explore/Gre ... 20170731-2


Please check Needs Attention pre-booking: https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=322&t=596
User avatar
Richprins
Committee Member
Posts: 75838
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 3:52 pm
Location: NELSPRUIT
Contact:

Re: Rhino - Black & White

Post by Richprins »

phpBB [video]


Please check Needs Attention pre-booking: https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=322&t=596
Post Reply

Return to “Mammals”