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| Location: |
Africa - Southern Africa - South Africa |
| Subject: |
Distribution - Records |
| Species: |
Black Rhino |
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After an absence of more than 100 years from the Cape Province, two groups of black rhinoceros were introduced to the Addo Elephant National Park in 1961 (one bull, one cow) and 1962 (two bulls, three cows).However these animals came from the Kiboko area of Kenya and so are placed in the subspecies D. b. michaeli. Their capture and transport to Addo was carried out most efficiently by Nick Carter, but their subsequent release into a small paddock was ill-conceived and resulted in fierce fighting and the deaths of three animals within three weeks. By 1977 twelve black rhino calves had been born at Addo, but four animals died as a direct consequence of their artificial living conditions. Release in June 1977 into a 4000-ha section of the park enclosed by the famous Armstrong elephant-proof fence relieved their crowded conditions but was unfortunately marred by a further tragedy when a cow and young cal were involved in an altercation with a group of Addo elephants and the calf died. At the end of September 1977 the National Parks Board released three black rhino bulls of the Zululand subspecies at Addo - a step that will be hotly debated by genetic conservationists and taxonomists for some time to come. They appear to have settled down well, and there have been no further conflicts with the elephants. There are now twelve at Addo, and with adequate space and food available their future at Addo seems assured. Whether in the future the mixing of the two subspecies will be held to be of great consequence remains to be seen. What is perhaps of greater importance now is to ensure that none of the progeny are allowed to contaminate pure D. b. minor populations.
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Black rhinoceros in Southern Africa
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