Project update - August 2006

After a very sad 2005 (the passing away of both Blythe and Mike as well as two of the most loved rhinos, !Nabas and her daughter Hope), the year 2006 started off with an amazing rainy season in north western Namibia, better known as the Kunene Region, home to the largest and only free roaming population of Black Rhino (the Desert Black Rhino, Diceros bicornis bicornis) in Africa. Plenty of water and browsing was found throughout the entire rhino range of 25 000sq kms.

Get Away

It was the ideal setting for the capture and translocation of rhinos within the historical range as well as the fitting of radio transmitters to 24 animals. This operation took place at the end of March and the beginning of April 2006 under the supervision of the National Rhino Co-ordinator of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism.

Two teams of SRT trackers, under the leadership of Simson Uri-khob (SRT's Director of Research) were deployed in the field well in advance of the capture operation. Their task being, to (a) locate and GPS the position of the individual rhinos chosen from the National Data Base for the capture and (b) assist the aerial teams during the operation in locating these animals.

Capture Operation - third from right S. Uri-khob (SRT's Director of Research)

Due to SRT's ongoing monitoring of the rhino population, the capture operation was made easier and cheaper (11,000.00 N$/animal) than a similar operation in the Etosha National Park (45,000.00 N$/animal).

After the operation had been completed SRT was tasked by the Ministry to monitor these animals on the ground as well as from the air utilizing telemetry equipment. A young MSc student was at hand to do the initial groundwork for the first three months. Two of SRT's more experienced trackers, Joseph Karuhama and Fulai Mukungu, were seconded to him to help in the field to track, locate and identify the 24 animals. Fresh dung samples were also collected to look at stress hormones after the capture; HID Forms (Human Induced Disturbance) were completed during each sighting looking at flight distances, whether the animals were more wary of humans since their capture and how the two translocated animals were adapting to their new environment.

The fantastic news was that one of the females (only known as female T14), who had been highly pregnant during the capture operation had given birth to a healthy young calf (sex still unknown to date) at the beginning of July. A special eye will be kept on the two by the SRT monitoring teams.

Female T14 with new calf

One of the animals, Verity, lost one of her horns during a fight with another animal; unfortunately it was the horn with the transmitter. It was found and handed over to the authorities.

SRT and Conservancy Members assisting with an injured rhino calf

SRT management had decided (April 2006 month-end meeting), after thorough evaluation of all field data collected and the general productivity of SRT, to change the past 'modus operandi' of separate patrol teams operating independently in different areas to the following:

• (a) every month a certain area/areas (Eco Zone) within the rhino- range is/are chosen and patrolled for two to three weeks with a five day break in-between,
• (b) all SRT teams (4 in total/4 trackers and Team leaders - total 16 personnel) will meet at a designated campsite and
• (c) all SRT vehicles (3 LandRovers and one at Rhino Camp) are used as well as the camels in certain areas.

Objectives

Primary Objectives:

The Tracking Teams will patrol the area/s (by vehicle due to the vastness of the area), especially around known springs, in search of fresh tracks. As soon as spoor is discovered the teams will follow on foot (tracking times vary between an hour to sometimes 7/8 hours following the spoor until finding the rhino/s).

(i) Positively ID the animal and complete ID form,
(ii) Photograph the animal, frontal shot (ear notches), side shot (horn shape and condition of animal), back shot (sexing of animal and form, shape and condition of tail).
Other field data collected includes:
(i) rhino middens,
(ii) unknown springs found and temporary (ephemeral) waters after the rain,
(iii) any mortalities (rhino, Rhino Mortality Form completed and forwarded to MET),
(iv) feeding records and
(v) any new born calves (age estimate and date of birth).

All field Data is entered into specially designed forms (ID, Mortality, HID and a form for sightings of spoor, feeding signs, middens and rhino scrapes as well as new springs).

To plot all the field data, Garmin GPS 12 and 12Xs are used. All this information is then handed to the Director of Research, who will enter the data into the Data Base or it is used for Donor reports and by 'Bona fide' researchers with valid Research Permits issued by MET.

The Ministry is presented with an annual update of the rhino "Data Base", which in turn is used by MET for management planning (biological) of the rhino population

Secondary Objectives:

These Rhino Monitoring 'Mini Censuses' also serve as a very effective 'Anti Poaching' tool;

(a) areas are worked on a regular basis
(b) a continual presence of SRT, because of minimal MET presence
(c) SRT Community Game Guards function as the ears and eyes on the ground within communities (in the rhino range and bordering areas).
(d) Since the inception of SRT and the increased rhino monitoring as well as patrolling of the rhino range, by SRT, MET and the Community Game Guards, the poaching of the Desert Black Rhino has decreased and completely ceased since 1994 (last case of poaching, involving a member of the Namibian Police and a member of the official Wildlife Protection Services WPS).

An area covered during a Mini Census comprises of approximately 12,5 % of the total Rhino Range of 25 000 sq/kms. Within a 12 month period the complete area will be covered, with certain areas (more difficult to patrol/more threatened populations) covered two or three times a year.
These "Mini Censuses" will also enable SRT Senior management to;
(a) evaluate staff performance in the field and pin-point shortfalls.
(b) This in turn gives us a chance to do on the spot training and adjust training methods,
(c) This enhances the productivity of the Trust and
(d) Improves the quality the field data collected and thus
(e) Adheres fully to the official Mandate given to SRT by the Ministry
of Environment and Tourism (MET).
(f) Use database to search/locate rhino not seen regularly

These Mini Census's have already produced some good and very interesting data. In one of the Eco Zones a female was found with a new born calf. During the last National Census she had not been seen in that specific Zone (2003-2004).

In another Zone a female (unknown and in her prime) was spotted with a quarter grown calf, also a newcomer to the area.

Both the above Zones have no formal protection, either by the Ministry or by a Concession system, similar to the Palmwag Concession. During the past years since independence, both areas have lost animals due to uncontrolled tourism, low-flying aircraft, disturbance by consumptive and trophy hunting as well as drought.

Throughout those difficult years, SRT kept up its monitoring of the rhino population, thanks to the loyal support of DSWF.

Sebulon Hoeb, Senior tracker on Radio Duty

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