Du Toit, R., 1994. Management of black rhino in Zimbabwean conservancies: pp. 95-99
 | In: Penzhorn, B.L. et al. Proceedings of a symposium on rhinos as game ranch animals. Onderstepoort, Republic of South Africa, 9-10 September 1994: pp. i-iv, 1-242 |
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| Location: |
Africa - Southern Africa - Zimbabwe |
| Subject: |
Distribution - Records |
| Species: |
African Rhino Species |
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Ownership of rhino on private land. In contrast to the situation in South Africa, the Zimbabwean landowners who received black rhinos were not required to purchase them and have no ownership rights; they are regarded as voluntary custodians. However, this does not mean that the rhinos belong to the State. All wildlife in Zimbabwe is res nullius (i.e. the animals belong to no-one) and it is the rights to usage of wildlife, rather than ownership rights, which are the crucial issue under the Zimbabwean legislation. A landowner is legally entitled to undertake a wide range of wildlife management activities on his land, including various forms of consumptive utilization, without the need to obtain specific approvals (e.g. hunting permits) from the Zimbabwean Government. For a small schedule of 'Specially Protected Animals' (Parks and Wild Life Act, 1975), which includes both black and white rhinos, the landowners' usage rights are considerably more restricted and any consumptive utilization, or disposal of products from these animals, is subject to the issue of the relevant permits by the Director of DNPWLM.
Unfortunately, some landowners in Zimbabwe are confused about 'ownership' and periodically agitate to acquire outright possession of the rhinos with which they have been entrusted. Apart from the fact that this is not legally feasible, the landowners did not buy the rhinos, and there has been an ongoing need for firm intervention by DNPWLM to reduce stocking rates and to remove rhinos from insecure areas; such action would be impeded if there were ownership complications. As far as non-consumptive utilization is concerned, the private rhino custodians are given every encouragement to use the rhinos as tourist drawcards.
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Management of black rhino in Zimbabwean conservancies
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