Rhino Relocations

[Toko]

http://www.thenewage.co.za/149131-1007- ... for_safety

Peter Ramothwala

The safeguarding of the white rhino is increasingly being transferred to private hands as South Africa continues to lose the battle against poachers.

At least 1020 rhino were poached last year but only 344 suspects were arrested.

It is against this background that South African National Parks (SANParks) has begun the process of relocating at least 200 rhino through either auction or transfer to safer countries by the end of the year.

SANParks spokesperson Reynold Thakhuli said advertisements were placed in the media in October for the purchase of white rhino from

the Kruger National Park.

“Twenty bids were received and are in the process of evaluation to determine the successful bidders,” he said.

The Strategic Rhino Translocation Programme aims to shift rhino out of poaching hot spots in the Kruger National Park to safer destinations either inside or outside the

park.

Thakhuli said a total of 50 white rhino were translocated out of the poaching hot spots of the Kruger National Park by the end of last year.

Although SANParks is keeping a veil of secrecy around the likely destinations, sources close to developments have said that Chad leads the list of likely new homes for the animals.

“The objective of the exercise is to promote the establishment and growth of secure and viable rhino populations in other protected areas and under private landowners,” Thakhuli said.

“Funds raised from the sale of rhino will be placed in a dedicated fund for use in conservation projects including rhino conservation.

“Bids are subjected to a number of requirements, including a habitat assessment and the submission of a security plan.

“The committee evaluating the bids is made up of an independent auditor, a representative from the national Treasury, a SANParks executive member and staff in supply chain management, risk management, legal services and financial services to ensure good governance and transparency.”

The latest survey reveals that there are between 8400 and 9600 white rhino in the Kruger National Park.

Local poachers and those from neighbouring Mozambique are depleting the endangered species.

Hawks spokesperson Brig Hangwani Mulaudzi said that in some instances poaching syndicates were ahead of the police because they operated via complicated international networks.

“Investigations have revealed that depending on the size of the horn, it costs between R250000 and R1m,” he said.

The founder of NGO Stop Rhino Poaching, Elise Daffue, said: “It’s important to remember that poachers always find new hunting grounds, so translocation is not likely to make a dent in the overall figures.”

Daffue said the authorities had to act commandingly if they were serious about curbing poaching.

“Right now there is confusion as to who is responsible for attending to crime scenes, the Hawks or stock theft units,” she said.

“The police need to realise that this isn’t just about saving rhinos, it’s our rangers and security personnel whose lives are on the line as well.

“Law enforcement structures know who the big players are in the poaching syndicates, so it’s criminal that they aren’t acting with greater urgency.”

SANParks Conservation and Tourism Committee chairperson Prof Gerry Swan said the translocation would resume in March.

“At the moment we cannot shift them because it is too hot,” he said.

A total of 29 rhino were moved in the course of October and November from poaching hot spots to safer areas within the Kruger National Park.

Kuseni Dlamini, chairperson of the SANParks Board, said: “It is too early to tell, but our initial reports are that the rhino translocated within the Kruger National Park are safe and have settled down"

peterr@thenewage.co.za

[Lisbeth]

This kind of transaction is a riddle to me Where are they going? Who is controlling what happens to them when they leave the country? How come that I do not trust this kind of transaction?

[Toko]

Just selling rhino as they have done in the past and now under a new label

200 rhino per year has been a standard over the years!

[Toko]

http://www.iol.co.za/dailynews/news/pra ... Qm_xo6G_UU

Praised for rhino dispersal project

March 18 2015 at 09:10am
By KAMCILLA PILLAY

Durban

A local wildlife protection group has been hailed for its conservation efforts to save the black rhino.

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife was praised for its role in providing “founder populations” of the species to certain areas by WWF South Africa’s Black Rhino Range Expansion Project.

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife spokesman, Musa Mntambo, said that the body had been involved in the project for more than 10 years.

“We’re excited that a number of game reserves are now getting involved, as the success of this programme needs all the support it can get. A number of private game reserves have benefited through our involvement, thus ensuring that black rhinos are not extinct. Ezemvelo will continue supporting this programme.”

The organisation offered its compliments to Ezemvelo in a statement announcing the translocation of 19 animals from the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency to an undisclosed area.

nd translocation 1 (49331741)
The recent translocation involved WWF and Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency, with help from SANParks and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife.

Six wildlife veterinarians participated in the project which saw darted animals being airlifted by helicopter to a central loading area where they were loaded into crates and prepared for a road trip to their new home.

The area had to undergo intensive security inspections before rhinos were released on to the new site.

The rhinos, explained the organisation, were sometimes in areas that were inaccessible to vehicles.

“It is easier and quicker to move them by air to awaiting vehicles, which then transport them to their new homes. This is not harmful to the rhinos. They were transported like this for no more than ten minutes.”

“We are extremely proud of the Agency’s contribution to the conservation of this species,” said Vuyani Dayimani, chief executive of Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency.

“Harvesting animals from populations that are at or near ecological carrying capacity, and using these animals to create new populations (is the aim). This harvesting stimulates growth in the donor population and also makes animals available for the creation of new populations.”

The WWF said the population formed the tenth group to be facilitated through the project. “Black rhino are more at risk of extinction than white rhino due to their low numbers. Since the start of the programme in 2003, it has overseen the relocation of around 160 black rhino to form new breeding populations and more than 50 calves have been born on project sites.”

According to Dr Jacques Flamand, head of the project: “Founder populations released on to large areas of land have the potential to increase quickly in number. And moving rhinos from our major parks relieves pressure,allowing for more rapid growth, both at source and in their new terrain.”

[Lisbeth]

I am not a vetinarian even less an animal psychologist, but when I moved my two cats from one house to another, they stayed under a bed for 10 days

[RogerFraser]

See that a few more transferred to Botswana where they don't tolerate poachers .

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015 ... o.facebook

[Lisbeth]

Sounds like a good place

[Toko]

How translocating rhinos promotes genetic health and keeps them safe
November 23, 2015 4.37am GMT



Rhino poaching is one of the largest threats of the illegal wildlife trade. The animals are slaughtered for their horns, believed in some Asian cultures to have medicinal properties. Rhino populations across southern Africa are being decimated. As of August 27, 2015, 749 rhinos had been killed in eight months in South Africa alone.

One of the interventions that is being increasingly pursued is to translocate the animals. Across Africa rhinos are being translocated from national parks to private strongholds. Regular rhino translocations take place in South Africa and Namibia. Some rhino are moved annually in Zimbabwe, Kenya and Botswana, which have smaller populations.

South Africa has by far the largest rhino population in the world and does the most translocations globally. Both black and white rhino have been translocated in previous years to establish new populations and grow existing groups.

In 2014, more than 150 rhino were translocated by government and private initiatives. This is an active conservation strategy designed to protect the remaining animals, cut down on those lost to poaching and ensure the health and growth of future rhino populations.

Translocations typically take place in the drier and cooler months of the year. Rhino are darted from a helicopter. Blood and tissue samples are taken once the animal is immobilised. These samples can be used in poaching cases and for scientific research. The rhino is then walked into a crate and lifted by crane onto a flatbed truck to be transported to a new location.

The where and the why

Wildlife translocations can supplement small populations, replace animals that are lost to poaching or disease and re-introduce species into their former range. As most wildlife populations are now restricted to fenced parks and reserves, animals can no longer move into vacant areas on their own or disperse between populations for new breeding opportunities.

In the past, animals could also avoid dangerous areas, or leave a population that had become too large to be supported in that environment. As this can no longer happen naturally, park managers must ensure that the necessary movement of animals takes place.

The most obvious benefit to translocating rhino is protection from poachers. The sheer size of the larger game reserves make rhino vulnerable to poachers. Such extensive boundaries cannot be permanently policed.

Small reserves can be more thoroughly protected by rangers or private security. Movements within parks from high poaching zones to more heavily monitored protection zones can also give rhino a better chance of survival.


Moving animals promotes genetic health

Translocations can also be used as a conservation tool to increase the genetic health of a population and prevent inbreeding. This is particularly important in small populations. Genetics is a hugely important aspect to consider when translocating animals. Failure to do this can have serious impacts on the animals.

Genetic diversity is a measure of a populations' genetic health. It represents the number of differences between the genetic code of individuals, which may enable the animals to cope better with disease or other environmental pressures. Large populations usually have a higher genetic diversity compared to small isolated populations. Small populations may have less variation and be more vulnerable to changing conditions.

Inbreeding happens when populations become too small and related animals are forced to breed with each other. This might not have an immediately negative impact, but may severely compromise the health and reproduction of future generations. This is known as inbreeding depression, and can put the survival and health of the whole population at risk in the long term.

Moving rhino from the Kruger National Park, which hosts the largest white rhino population in South Africa, takes new genes and diversity to other locations. Other populations in southern Africa have been isolated for some time and this will be an excellent way to re-introduce gene variants that were lost when small rhino populations were founded from just a few individual animals.


Long term commitment

Rhinos live for a long time. They can reach up to 40 years of age. This means that the removal of any single animal has a much greater impact. It isn’t just the individual animal that is lost, but all the offspring that would have been possible in the future.

This is particularly true for females of breeding age. These breeding females are essential for raising calves and the survival of the population. Increasing the number of females also promotes maximum growth in a population.

The planned movement and sale of rhino allows additional safeguards. Conditions can be included into purchase contracts to ensure that the benefits of translocation are maximised. For example, a commitment to breed the rhino as soon as they are introduced to their new environment ensures the population growth. Clauses that prevent hunting the translocated animals for a pre-determined time period also safeguard the animals for the future.

The South African National Parks rhino capture teams are extremely experienced with rhino capture and translocation. This commitment from conservation managers as well as governments and NGOs is vital for protection from poaching and to ensure the genetic health and growth of future rhino populations.

This article was written in collaboration with Dr Markus Hofmeyr, the head of Veterinary Wildlife Services at South African National Parks.

[Toko]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-24/p ... on/7273828

Australian Rhino Project moving rhinoceros from Africa to protect against poaching
666 ABC Canberra By Penny Travers and Adam Shirley
Updated Thu at 6:12am


The first of up to 80 rhinoceros are on track to come to Australia this year as part of a world-first plan to ensure their survival.

The Australian Rhino Project plans to relocate 80 rhino from South Africa to safari parks in Australia.

Project founder Ray Dearlove said it was a biological insurance policy.

"The situation is dire, there's an urgency," he told 666 ABC Canberra Drive.

"If you're killing three [rhino] a day, doesn't matter what number you start with, it really is a numbers game."

More than 5,000 rhino have been killed for their horns since 2010, with a record 1,400 killed last year and 1,200 in 2014.


The gestation period for a rhinoceros is 16 months and they only produce one calf.

Mr Dearlove said more rhinos were now killed each year than were born, and extinction was a real possibility.

"The numbers are deteriorating fast," he said.

"I thought Australia is one of the safest places on the planet to start this breeding herd, with the eventual intention that they would be repatriated to Africa when those [poaching] issues are sorted out."

Lengthy time in quarantine

Although biosecurity arrangements are still being finalised, both the South African and Australian governments support the project.

The first six white rhino are set to go into two months of quarantine in Johannesburg in May.

They will then be flown to Australia in August, where they will go into quarantine at Taronga Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo for another two months.

From there, the rhinos will most likely go to Monarto Zoo's safari park near Adelaide.

All going well, Mr Dearlove hopes to bring 80 rhino to Australia over four years.

"There is no safe place in Africa for rhinos today," he said.

"They've become extinct pretty much from the top down to South Africa where probably 85 to 90 per cent of the white and black southern rhinos that are left in the world."

Poachers killing on a daily basis

Mr Dearlove said poachers operating out of Mozambique were killing three rhinos per day.

"They cross the border, one with a big gun, one with an axe, machete or a saw to cut the horn off, and another fellow to carry the supplies," he said.

"They will run/walk 15 kilometres to where they've got a tip-off, find a group of rhinos, shoot probably the biggest one ... and then dash across the border.

"The horn itself will change hands probably six times before it gets on a boat and heads to Asia."


Rhino horn is made of keratin, the same material that makes up human fingernails.

But the horn can fetch up to $500,000 in Vietnam and China, where some people believe it can help heal ailments ranging from the common cold to cancer.

"Poachers can get up to $80,000 a kilogram for a rhino horn," Mr Dearlove said.

"So an average-sized rhino would have a horn of five kilograms ... so there's $400,000 to $500,000 on the table.

"It's the same syndicates that move people around, move drugs around, move weapons around ... and the return and investment for [rhino horn] is staggering."


It will cost about $75,000 to transport and quarantine each rhino headed to Australia.

Mr Dearlove acknowledged it was a huge logistical exercise but he said it was worth the investment.

"If you or I don't do anything about it, who's going to do something about it?" he said.

"And when they're gone, who will they blame?"

[Richprins]

Good idea this....but massively expensive!

For that money, maybe better to put 80 rhino into a 'supermax" security facility in SA?