White rhino were translocated from KwaZulu-Natal to the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania, this week.
The project is an initiative of multiple stakeholders including a South African wildlife conservancy, its safari industry members and partner (&Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve, as well as Zuka Private Game Reserve, Makhasa Community Trust and others), communities (Munywana Conservancy), Tanzania’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism (MNRT), as well as the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA).
Tony Adams, &Beyond Conservation & Community Impact Director, said “for over thirty years &Beyond has actively supported the conservation of endangered species like white rhino, through collaborative and often ground-breaking wildlife translocations.”
He also said the organization is honoured to have been invited by Tanzania’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, to facilitate the sourcing and translocation of the animals for this project.
“Initiatives such as these are a proven conservation strategy in ensuring the survival of endangered species such as white rhino, which are increasingly threatened in their historical habitat in Southern Africa” said Adams.
White rhino were initially reintroduced to &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve in 1991, with 26 animals moved in what was then the largest translocation of this species ever undertaken. Since then, the Munywana Conservancy has played a pivotal role in a series of white rhino projects, particularly in the translocation of the species to Botswana in partnership with Great Plains Conservation and the Botswana Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP).
Dale Wepener, a ranger at Munywana, said “while we are aware that the Ngorongoro Crater is not part of the historic range for southern white rhino, we believe that the current project falls within the conservation strategy described as ‘assisted colonisation’ in terms of the guidelines laid down by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). This occurs when a species that is under pressure in its natural habitat is intentionally moved and introduced to an area outside its historical range with the view of ensuring the survival of that species.”
Thokozani Mlambo, Chairman of the Makhasa Community Trust, said “we are especially proud that, as members of the Munywana Conservancy, we have been able to contribute towards the success of conservation in other parts of Africa. Having experienced both the economic and environmental benefits that can come through wildlife management, we are thrilled to have had the opportunity to be part of a project to boost both of these in another part of our continent.”
Picture: Save the Rhino