Project update - November 2007

	Dundi & her female calf, Vuyakasi (4 months) : 19 July 2007 - Photo : Johan de Klerk

FIVE-YEAR FOCUS on Black Rhinos in South Africa - Report from Sue Downie & Lucky Mavrandonis

We have focused our passion for wildlife on black rhinos in South Africa. With the DSWF we have raised funds to expand two of South Africa's National Parks (Augrabies Falls and Mountain Zebra), providing much needed habitat, not only for black rhino but also other game such as the Cape mountain zebra, buffalo, gemsbok and cheetah. The Mountain Zebra National Park (MZNP) has grown from 6'500 ha to 28'800 ha thanks to all of you who support the DSWF. The end of Phase 1 of the expansion project culminated with the release of four cheetahs in the park during May and June this year.

It all started 17 years ago. Shibula is an amazing "wild lady". In 1990, funds raised from a small painting of a black rhino by David Shepherd brought Shibula back to southern Africa from Lisbon Zoo. This has been a very successful, valuable and positive accomplishment for black rhino conservation, as she has given birth to six calves and two of her calves have had their own calves. Eight more black rhino on the planet, thanks to the generous support and sponsorship from the DSWF.

Since starting the Black Rhino Monitoring Project in 2002, in two areas with 12 rhino to monitor, the project has expanded and we now have four national parks, six areas and five times the number of rhinos to monitor. Sixteen calves have been born in the areas during the project period, and we have been privileged to see very young calves without disturbing the mother and calf. In fact 87% of our observations of black rhino are undetected, which is probably why we have been able to see such interesting and unknown natural black rhino behaviour. The birth of all these calves underlines the success of the project.

Dundi with 3 month old calf behind her, walking towards the father Ombika (right) and young bull Alfred, facing Ombika : 29 May 2007 - Photo: Lucky Mavrandonis

A very special moment for us was when Shibula's first calf, Dundi (first seen when she was 6 days old in 1994), gave birth to her own calf in March 2007. We had almost given up hope of Dundi having a calf, as she was 12½ years old - black rhino can give birth from seven years old. It is also very difficult to see if a rhino is pregnant or just in very good condition. The staff at Mountain Zebra have named the calf Vuyakasi, which is the female form of "happy" in Xhosa. A recent sighting (over two hours) had all six rhino in MZNP interacting a mere 90m from us. The birth of two calves, within six weeks of each other in February and March of this year is the first sign of positive breeding for this sub-population introduced in 2002. It was well worth the wait and both calves are female!

	Dundi's calf (3 months) with her father Ombika : 29 May 2007- Photo: Lucky Mavrandonis

Excited as we always are by the births and increase in the population, we can never be too complacent about the safety of rhino. As David always says, "man is the most destructive and dangerous animal". Reports from around the world continuously record that poaching is on the increase and previously well-protected rhino, such as those in Kaziranga are being killed by well-organised and professional gangs.

In Zimbabwe at least 40 black rhino have been poached in State Parks. Conservation bodies are trying to protect the rhino by dehorning again. Feedback from a South African working in Cambodia tells us that "when men talk about their favourite topic, sex, it is mentioned that African men have bigger members because they have so many rhino in Africa". With such nonsense accepted as fact, we have to do everything possible to educate the misinformed and continue regular accurate monitoring of rhino.

In South Africa there are reports of poaching of elephants as well as white and black rhino in the parks bordering Mozambique and Zimbabwe and in Kwa-Zulu-Natal. Recently two brothers were sentenced to several years in jail for killing white rhino. Recent reports (April and July 2007) confirm poaching in Zambia and the DR Congo. In South Africa it is reported that as many as 70 rhino have been poached in the last six years, with 17 in 2006.

Cheetah Male at MZNP : 30 May 2007

On just one day during the week of 15 July 2007, a combined exercise between the Environmental Management Inspectorate, SA Revenue Service, Customs and the SA Police Service Border Police, highlighted just what we are up against - as they seized a suitcase stuffed with four rhino horns on an international flight at Johannesburg Airport. All this highlights the importance and value of DSWF's project in South Africa. Regular monitoring of all our black rhino has become a necessity.

DSWF has been fantastic with its generous support for black rhino in South Africa and Namibia, and we hope that with your help, DSWF can continue to fight for critically endangered species. They have a right to survive on our fragile planet. Our monitoring in South Africa has also been a factor in five active interventions, in attempts to save rhinos, which were injured, or in bad condition. Three of the five attempts had a positive outcome.

The South Western black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis bicornis) population has also been supplemented by rhinos translocated from Namibia to South Africa, in a regional exchange programme. In May this year the DSWF sponsored the move of several black rhino to National Parks in the Cape provinces of South Africa. This makes the DSWF a committed partner in the regional exchanges, and hopefully encourages more translocations. The recent arrivals from Namibia are included in our monitoring project.

DSWF support has been vital to the success of our projects, we have had some wonderful successes, but complacency is not an option, and with your help we can continue to fight for the survival of black rhino, ward off evil poachers, and ensure the rhino's health and safety.

South African National Parks recently sponsored the publication of a report on our project monitoring black rhinoceros in national parks. You can visit the website to read the report "Focus on Rhino".

Every little contribution helps wildlife and remember 100% of your donation will go in full to the project - thank you!

You can also help by becoming a member of DSWF. Click here for more information

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