36 Black Rhinos are expected to be imported from South Africa to Tanzania next month in appreciation of the two countries’ historical bilateral ties. This is welcome news to a country whose Black Rhino population has suffered countless losses at the hands of poachers.
The rhinos will be comprised of 18 males and 18 females, and will begin arriving in one of Tanzania’s national parks in early August.
Shamsa Mwangunga, Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, said that the exact number of rhinos left in Tanzania is not known at this time.
There is a danger of rhinos being wiped out altogether in our country. We don’t have any figures on how many rhinos there are at present…They are very rarely seen in the wild, we have to use special technology to pinpoint their locations.
Why Black Rhinos were selected
While South Africa has both White and Black Rhinos, the Black Rhinos were selected because they will thrive in Tanzania’s environment. White Rhinos are primarily grazers, while Black Rhinos are browsers.
Black Rhino population
There are currently approximately 4,240 black rhinos surviving.
According to International Rhino Foundation:
In 1970, it was estimated that there were approximately 65,000 black rhinos in Africa – but, by 1993, there were only 2,300 surviving in the wild. Intensive anti-poaching efforts have had encouraging results since 1996. Numbers have been recovering and still are increasing very slowly. With the growing purchasing power of many Asian countries, and the existence of organized gangs of poachers who sell rhino horn to black market syndicates in some range countries, the poaching threat remains great and anti-poaching efforts must be continued and accelerated.
Here’s to hoping Tanzania’s new rhino pairs are prolific!
Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/poplinre/ / CC BY-SA 2.0
About Rhishja Cota-Larson
It is to be applauded that South Africa is finally prepared to send a substantial number of the Eastern African black rhino maintained ex situ on a private reserve back to Tanzania and help restore the Serengeti black rhino numbers.
Both the Ngorongoro and Serengeti black rhinos will benefit no end from the introduction of new genetic material into both populations that require active genetic management and allow for a substantial number of founders to contribute to the in situ populations.
We should also be thankful to the Grumeti Fund and Mr. Tudor for providing funding for the transfer and ZGF who will provide for technical expertise and backing to the reintroduction project.
I expect the first black rhinos have already safely landed and are quietly getting used to the hot/arid climate of the Serengeti plains by now!
From the author:
Thank you very much for your comment. I am hopeful that the project will be a success – black rhino (like all rhino) certainly need all they help they can get!
I was just about to ask which subspecies they were… thanks Jelle for those details. Most Rhinos in South Africa are Diceros bicornis minor. Those in Tanzania are Diceros bicornis michaeli. Are there going to be any Eastern Black rhinos left in the private reserve in South Africa or are all of them being moved?
Rhishja,
Is there a risk that poachers will also kill these. What protection will they be getting. Will they be wearing tracking devices, collars, etc.