Raising rhinos in captivity is pricey. So when operational costs became too much for controversial South African rhino breeder John Hume he put his entire project, which included 2,000 southern white rhinos, up for sale in April last year. When the online auction ended with no bids, NPO African Parks stepped in. Recognising the conservation value of the rhinos and concerned about their fate, they bought Hume's Platinum Rhino ranch with one goal in mind: to rewild all of the rhinos over the next 10 years to well-managed and secure areas.
As part of this ambitious initiative, in June this year, 120 southern white rhinos were translocated to reserves represented by South Africa's Greater Kruger Environmental Protection Foundation (GKEPF). This was the second successful move to happen under Rhino Rewild, African Parks' bold project that aims to de-risk the future of the species by establishing or supplementing strategic populations across Africa.
Rhino poaching began to escalate around 15 years ago driven by a surge in demand for rhino horn for use in traditional Eastern medicine. South Africa, home to the world's largest population of southern white rhinos, was particular vulnerable and suffered huge losses in rhino numbers as governments and conservation organisations grappled with effective tactics to curb the killing. Dehorning, increased anti-poaching initiatives and rhino translocation all form part of the broader strategy to safeguard the imperilled animals.
Without rhinos to keep grasslands open for grazers, ecosystems are significantly altered and this can impact overall ecology as well as ecotourism. Returning rhinos to landscapes where they once roamed, or boosting populations in areas where they have been depleted, is crucial for the future of the species, but it's not without its challenges.
There's a lot that can wrong when moving a two-tonne animal. The rhino must first be sedated, a task that is complicated by its size and sensitivity to potent opioids. A ground team must work quickly to safely secure the sedated rhino and monitor its vitals, while it's tagged and collared. Each rhino is dehorned to reduce the future risk of poaching, a procedure that does not hurt the animal and may need to be performed every few years as rhino horns grow back over time, much like fingernails. Next, the rhino is carefully guided onto a truck, ready to be driven to its new home. It's a challenge that requires planning, teamwork and experience. But the rewards of high-risk relocations justify the costs and challenges.
“Moving 120 rhino under the Rhino Rewild initiative to GKEPF will augment the existing rhino population in the Greater Kruger and ensure that these rhino are fulfilling their role in their natural environment, which has been our vision from the start,” says Peter Fearnhead, CEO of African Parks. “Despite significant pressures, GKEPF members have played a critical role in the conservation of the Greater Kruger landscape providing an important buffer to the Kruger and we support their commendable progress in protecting rhino populations in their native range.”
In the late 1800s, following years of unregulated hunting, southern white rhino populations came perilously close to extinction. The Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park in South African's KwaZulu-Natal province was proclaimed and served as a safe haven for the imperilled species. By the 1960s, the reserve had enough rhinos to begin translocating animals to areas where populations had been depleted or eradicated. Operation Rhino, as the initiative was known, laid the groundwork for understanding the complexities of rhino relocation and opened up the possibility for private and government reserves to introduce or reintroduce this keystone species to the landscape.
Since then, the mammoth task of rhino relocation (and that of other large mammal translocations) has been refined as conservationists grow their understanding of the risks and challenges involved. The moving of 120 rhinos led to “many, many sleepless nights” explained Sharon Haussmann, CEO of GKEPF, not to mention the costs and time involved. African Parks, which receives funding from governments, multi-lateral institutions, conservation organisations, family foundations and individuals, donated the animals to the reserve, with GKEPF donors contributing to the translocation costs and the subsequent ongoing monitoring of the rhinos.
Although poaching continues to pose a significant threat to all rhino species, extensive anti-poaching initiatives are making an impact. The population of Southern white rhinos increased from 15,942 in 2022 to 17,464 in 2023, while populations of black and greater one-horned rhinos remained relatively unchanged. The increase in southern white rhino numbers is, however, marred by a slight increase in the number of animals poached. A total of 586 rhinos were killed in Africa in 2023, an increase from 551 reported killings in 2022. Overall, poaching numbers have decreased across the continent since peaking at 1,349 rhinos killed in 2015.
KwaZulu-Natal's Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park recently reported an 80% reduction in rhino poaching in the last six months following a concentrated dehorning project in the reserve. Conservationists are hopeful that through a combination of collaborative conservation strategies the tide is turning for this keystone species.
Top header image: Matthew Rogers, Flickr
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