Project update - December 2005

Rhino monitoring - Trip Report
November / December 2005

Objectives

• Area D : Observe the interaction between the 3 sub-adult rhinos
  
• Area C : Check for signs or signals of rhino.
  
• Area F: Try and get a visual on both bulls
  
• Area A: Find all rhinos, specifically Faru and assess her condition after the death of her calf.
• Area B : Reports of a possible new calf to be investigated. Sex Khora's calf and confirm sex of Shibula's calf. Follow up on Gamka
  
• Area E : Follow up on Sasha and confirm sex of calf ; check on Helen

Introduction
Our project in the Eastern Cape, monitors black rhino in six areas, a total of 51'000 ha. We know each rhino in each area, and the objective of the monitoring project is regularly assess the condition, health, births, deaths, social interaction, and status of each rhino from the ground. Three or four times a year there is an aerial survey of rhino in which many not seen during ground monitoring, are seen from the helicopter.

Area D (26th - 28th November)

[L to R] Thandi, Kapela & Danny All about 2¾ years old 26 November 2005

Once the rains started in earnest at the beginning of November, Melanie Adendorff stopped supplementing the three young rhino's diet with lucern. She had also not seen them since the middle of November. As it is summer here now, it is best to be out before sunrise to spot the rhino browsing before it gets too hot and they rest. I had several very good observations of the three young rhino in Area D. On all occasions all three were together and are very comfortable and relaxed. Initially when they saw the vehicle Thandi and / or Kapela walked towards it, but each time I reversed out of sight and eventually if they spotted me they ignored the vehicle and carried on browsing. Their condition is good.

Area C (27th November)
Late on Sunday evening had my first very close observation of a young (5-year-old) male rhino called Munu, in Area C. He did not seem to be bothered by the vehicle and on two occasions walked to within 30 m of the car, and the observation lasted for more than 30 minutes.

Area F (29th November)
The two bulls at Kuzuko still have transmitters that are working, but even so it is very hard work in very difficult terrain to find them. We managed after several hours of tracking and walking in 390 C temperatures, to find Kleinalec, the younger of the bulls, and were able to positively identify him. He was on his own, and we observed him for about 30 minutes as he walked around in the thick bush. Later in the afternoon, we only managed to get a signal, no visual, of Ngara further west. While tracking Kleinalec we saw 7 of the elephants recently introduced to Area F.

Area A (30th November - 3rd December)

	Ombika (left) & Dundi : 01 December 2005

It was misty and cool early on Thursday morning when we spotted two rhino, which we identified as Dundi and Ombika, at the edge of a thicket. When they walked out into an open patch we were about 100 m from them, and when Dundi spotted the vehicle she walked up to within 7 m, with Ombika following more cautiously behind her. They observed us for a while and then walked off and continued browsing. Ombika's condition was better than Dundi's.

On the previous trip I had seen Ombika with Faru , at close range (40 m), we disturbed them and Lucky and I really wanted to see how Faru was managing after the death of Kamaia.

While I observed Dundi and Ombika from a vantage point, Lucky went searching and found fresh rhino spoor after the night's rain. We tracked the spoor and nearly bumped into a sleeping rhino! Lucky spotted an ear twitching - the wind was also wrong so we moved position and found a vantage point 160 m down-wind of the rhino. We positively identified Faru and spent about an hour watching her. Shortly after we identified her she got up and browsed for about 45 minutes. Her condition is not good, but it is the end of winter, she is old probably over 25 and she has had a tough year.

On Thursday evening after another close encounter with Dundi and Ombika as we drove past a waterhole we saw and heard Alfie (Faru's 5½ year old calf) snort at us. It was nearly dark, and could not take photographs.

Early on Friday we found Alfie browsing in a clearing in a thicket not too far from the waterhole. His condition looked okay, much better than Faru's.

We went to see the Section Ranger, to show him the video and photographs of the rhino we had seen and to tell him of our concern for Faru, and he agreed with our condition assessment.

Area B
Saturday 3rdDecember
Temperature very high (40.20C) with strong winds (averaging between 23 and 40 kph). At 16:30, identified Khora and Nomvula (her second calf now 10 months old), together with Kara, (Blom's 9th calf and Khora's sister), (Kara will be 3 years old in February) - at a distance of 567 m. Both field ranger Ronnie Gcagciso and Lucky confirmed that Nomvula is female. Her name means "rain" in Xhosa. Kara was 30 m from Khora and Nomvula. Khora's condition was fair, while the calves were good.

At 17:10, saw and identified Tria about 50 m from Khora. Her condition was good. Kara approached Khora, and mingled between the mother and calf. At 18:00 all four rhinos were in very close proximity - with Khora and Tria nose to nose. At one point Khora gently chased Kara away, but she returned quickly. For 30 minutes all four rhino appeared to be greeting each other and touching noses. We were now at a distance of 350 m, and remained undetected.

To establish if the possible sighting of a new calf was correct, we had to find both Tria and Quattro, the two sub-adult (about 6½ years old) females, who were the only rhino who could possibly have had a calf because the three cows each have a calf. Tria definitely did not have a calf and was mixing unhurriedly with the other rhino.

Sunday 4th December
Again very hot, with winds up to 60 kph. Saw only the same rhinos as on Saturday.

Monday 5th

Shibula & 6th calf, female, 2 months old. 04 December 2005

Room temperature at 03:30 was 260C. At 05:45, found Shibula and her new calf near the white reservoir, quite low down on the hill where Sue and Ronnie first saw them on October 9th. She was 389 m from us and the temperature was already at 28.50C. She kept walking towards us - last reading was 198 m - but probably came to a distance of 150 m. Excellent sighting, and Ronnie and I confirmed Sue's suggestion that the calf was female. The wind was very light and in our favour, and we watched them browse, with the calf running about and playing for 45 minutes, she also seemed to be nibbling at plants - we were undetected. The wind suddenly swirled round momentarily, Shibula caught our smell and ran off at a slow trot. Shibula's condition was good, and the calf was in excellent shape.

On returning to the vehicle, had a quick view of Quattro and Darling, (Blom's 7th and 8th calves, aged 6¼ and 4 years old respectively).

Drove to Area E, to search for Sasha with the Telonics receiver. Found the water pump not working and the reservoir empty. Finally found Sasha and Helen very close to Gamka's release site - in the river bed and acacia thickets. Not a good sighting. Temperature at 08;30 was already 31.50C, the wind was wrong, so we retreated.

At 16:30, found Sasha and Helen in roughly the same position, with a favourable wind. It was cooler at 270C, and we were as close as 185 m. Both females were in excellent condition - if anything - better than those in Area B. The calf was also in excellent condition, and spent a lot of time nose to nose with Helen, and often she was closer to Helen than Sasha.

Drove back to Area B, and quickly found Kara and Ntombi (Khora's first calf now 2½ years old) [Kara is in fact Ntombi's "aunt", although she is only 3 months older than Ntombi], as well as Quattro and Darling also Ntombi's "aunts". All in very good condition. Very relaxed and browsing close together. Quattro did not have a calf, and so it is clear that Shibula and her new calf had been mistakenly seen as an additional new calf.

Tuesday 6th December.
Again in the acacia thickets, we saw Quattro, Darling, Ntombi, Kara, Tria, Khora and Nomvula in reasonably close proximity, with rhino meeting and greeting at odd intervals. In the afternoon, found Khora and Nomvula quite a distance from the morning sighting - far to the west. More importantly, found Gamka (the 9 year old bull) about 50 m from Khora - he had had a very recent mud bath. His condition was good. He was actively browsing and moving closer to Khora.

Wednesday 7th
Once again saw Quattro, Darling and Ntombi together, and at one stage Quattro pushed Ntombi away. On the last morning - from the outside lookout, Lucky saw a cow and calf at the white reservoir (definitely not Shibula - calf too big) - either Blom or Khora. Too far to identify, went into the rhino camp and drove to the reservoir, but the rhino had disappeared.

Summary
The three sub-adults in Area D have adapted and get on very well together, we couldn't have wished for a better outcome. The close up observation of Munu in area C was very rewarding at last. Observations of all four rhino Area A, was also good, and we will all keep an eye on Faru. During the course of the 4 days at Area B and E, saw and identified 76 % of the rhino. We kept seeing the same rhino nearly every day. Each day, we did an extensive search of the area - looking for Blom and Guy (13 months), Kuruman and Noors - to no avail. All the rhino seen were in the acacia thickets in the western section. However, after much searching, Ronnie and Lucky could not find the balance of the rhino.

The waterhole pump in Area B camp was also not working - reported this to Riaan and Solomon. Riaan said they would attend to it immediately.

A very productive and successful trip with many good sightings, established the sex of the calves, and much socializing between the rhino observed. The calves seem to initiate and facilitate these meetings by being the first to go forward to greet the new group

Sue Downie & Lucky Mavrandonis
10 December 2005
Ref. Report RM 35

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