Ceratotherium simum. With the completion of the fence at Kareelaagte (Botsalano) National Park during October 1984, no time was lost in introducing a population of white rhino to Botsalano from Pilanesberg. It was decided by our Research Section that 30 animals (11 males and 19 females) should be translocated. The Field Management Section had been preparing for this exercise for some months and had all the necessary equipment on standby. To date, 27 of the 30 rhino have been translocated without major problems or mortalities. As usual, the minor problems have been small mechanical failures like dart needles breaking or barbs not holding into the skin.
With the completion of the fence at Kareelaagte (Botsalano) National Park during October 1984, no time was lost in introducing a population of white rhino to Botsalano from Pilanesberg. It was decided by our Research Section that 30 animals (11 males and 19 females) should be translocated. The Field Management Section had been preparing for this exercise for some months and had all the necessary equipment on standby. To date, 27 of the 30 rhino have been translocated without major problems or mortalities. As usual, the minor problems have been small mechanical failures like dart needles breaking or barbs not holding into the skin. Reports from Botsalano are that all animals have settled down well - one group of 15 were seen grazing together. A few cows were heavily pregnant when translocated, so some calves can be expected in a few months time.
It is interesting to note that drug dosages have had to be higher than normally used, because the animals are in excellent condition and therefore heavier than normal. The ?cocktail' used for an adult cow, for example, would be 2 milligrams M99 (Etorphine), 30 milligrams Fentanyl and 100 milligrams Azaperone - 250 milligrams Nalorphine is used for the reversal. The use of Azaperond has resulted in animals travelling very calmly and showing no aggression when being released.
The capture was to be conducted in such a way as to eliminate or minimise disturbance, both for the benefit of the rhinos and other animals, and also, naturally for the benefit of visitors to the park. Consequently the operation was conducted without helicopters or capture vehicles racing across the veld. Rhino to be captured were approached on foot and quietly darted with a .500 calibre gun equipped with a silencer. The result of this quiet ?hunting' procedure was that the animals did not run more than one kilometre. Several were darted and ran only 200 metres, and two moved a mere 50 metres from the time of darting to the time of succumbing to the drugs (usually eight to 12 minutes).
As Botsalano is only 31 hours drive away from Pilanesberg, animals are transported individually in a crate on a low-bed trailer specially constructed for the difficult terrain at Pilanesberg. On average, the exercise starts at 06h00 and is over by 09h00 each morning. Costs are kept to an absolute minimum as economic viability is the secondary objective of the excercise - the first being the correct management of the species and its environment.
