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.
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.”