Short of leg, stocky of body, big of horn, those early descriptions of rhinos must have been real head-scratchers – a conundrum of physiology, and yet the rhino is perfectly self-sufficient if left alone. Alas, we humans aren’t brilliant at not interfering, and while at the dawn of the 20th century there were around 500,000 rhinos throughout Asia and Africa, today there are estimated to be just 27,000 and only about 6,500 of those are black rhinos (Diceros bicornis) – classed by the IUCN as Critically Endangered. While the numbers are alarming, the black rhino’s conservation status is on an upward trajectory due to concerted efforts on the ground.
It is no small irony that the phrase ‘giving it horns’ represents exactly the energy, determination and passion that’s required to save a species specifically targeted for its horn. Save The Rhino Trust (SRT) is an organisation that epitomises these qualities, and that’s why we’re supporting them in a black rhino introduction program in Namibia’s Kunene region.
“The relocation is important for several reasons,” explains Andrew Malherbe, Chief Operating Officer of Save The Rhino Trust Namibia. “From a biological perspective it is important to continually expand rangeland. More space to roam means more genetic diversity in the population. Rhinos are an umbrella species. The conservation effort spent protecting them means that other flora and fauna benefit from an increased conservation presence too.” This region has the largest free-roaming population on the planet, and the focus of this program is to expand the breeding range through the introduction of females via relocation. “The rhinos are coming from elsewhere in the conservation landscape where we work,” notes Andrew. “They are part of the same meta-population and are well accustomed to dry conditions.”
The monitoring and protection of these rhinos is a huge challenge given that they’re free roaming and calls for a multi-faceted approach with numerous stakeholders. Their new habitat requires long term surveillance to ensure the rhinos can flourish, free of threats.
SRT have managed the security of these desert-adapted black rhinos for decades and they’ve expanded their team to meet the demands of this larger range. Many of the people who live in the local area are involved in the ecotourism sector, and part of the protection work SRT carries out is the engagement and empowerment of these communities. There are also long hours spent on the ground keeping the rhinos safe.
“From an economic perspective, in Kunene there is also a growing demand for rhino trekking tourism,” Andrew adds. “This activity creates jobs, earns an income for the local communities and can, if financial mechanisms are put in place, sustainably fund the rhino conservation effort in the conservancy.”
Last year, SRT, Integrated Rural Development and Nature Conservation (IRDNC), along with several conservancies in partnership with private operators, clocked up some impressive statistics. There were 11,550 ranger field days, a total of 105,105 kilometres covered across the range, and 5,002 rhino sightings. The Natural Selection Foundation has funded a satellite communication system, and this allows for much smoother communication between the rangers and the field operations director and the conservancy. It also streamlines team rotations and deployments.
“The fact that the surrounding communities have petitioned government for the rhinos to be brought back to the area shows considerable local commitment which is key in the fight against poaching,” relates the SRT Namibia COO. “Our goal at Save The Rhino Trust Namibia is to ensure the area is well prepared for the rhinos – by installing improved communication at the ranger camp for example and proactively deploying monitoring teams.”
Unfortunately, rhinos continue to face threats not only from poaching but also from mining interests in rhino rangeland. SRT have partnered with Namibia’s Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) to try and secure exclusionary status for these rangelands to mitigate the threat of mining activities.
“Success in conservation is a moving target,” Andrew smiles. “We’re hoping for zero poaching and a good transparent deal between the local community and the tourism operator. Our aim is to ensure a sustainable conservation project with triple wins for rhinos, the communities and the private sector.”
We hope that our own continued support of SRT will ensure a bright future for rhinos in Namibia.
