Itala, 25 - reintroduced
Ceratotherium simum, Itala, 40
Ceratotherium simum. Hluhluwe-Umfolozi, ca. 1450 (the only natural population, and at carrying capacity).
Since 1975, removals of animals have represented a cross-section of the population, and removals from HluhluweUmfolozi and Ndumu will be equivalent to the rate of increase. This is about 142 rhinos p.a. In 1984/85, we hope to remove 190 animals, and thereafter 130 P.a. Our policy is to send animals to bona fide nature conservation areas first.
Weenen, 4 - reintroduced
Ceratotherium simum. Weenen, 4
By the 1930s, the black rhino had disappeared from South Africa (excluding SWA) except in the Zululand reserves of Hluhluwe-Umfolozi and Mkuzi.
Ceratotherium simum. Mkuzi, 40
Diceros bicornis. Mkuzi, 120 - natural population at 0.39 per km?
There are between 60 and 100 white rhinos on private land in Natal. Only farms that meet certain criteria, such as overall stocking rate, size, climate, are allowed rhinos, and the Natal Parks Board has a strict policy on this.
policy - Diceros bicornis . The policy has been to spread animals around, and since 1962, 131 have been moved. The rate of increase of the rhinos through reproduction is estimated at 4,5%, which allows 19 animals per year to be taken off the three populations at ecological carrying capacity (Hluhluwe-Umfolozi, Mkuzi and Ndumu). The sex ratio in both of the two largest populations is 1:1, and at Hluhluwe-Umfolozi the population comprises 84% adult/subadult (older than 3 ? years) and 16% immature. Over the last decade, however, the proportion of immatures has declined from 22% to 16% in Hluhluwe-Umfolozi and this obviously affects the policy on removal. For a number of years, Hluhluwe has had a poor recrui tment rate. No intent as yet to maximise production of young rhinos.
The sex ratio was about 1:1 in 1970, but in later years the ratio has skewed markedly towards males, and even up to 150:100 in the mid-1970's in Hluhluwe-Umfolozi. This change is apparently due to confinement of the population by fencing which limits the dispersion of males and also to a sex ratio at birth in favour of males.
Ndumu, 30 - reintroduced
The potential expansion of the Zululand population itself is limited to a maximum of about 90 in the Eastern Shores Nature Reserve (St Lucia), 35 in Itala, and 6 in Weenen: about 130 in all. Forestry permission is still needed for the first introduct ion.
'Carrying capacity' is a difficult figure to calculate. The ecological carrying capacity of an area is assumed to have been reached when negative feed-backs (from food avid social pressures) result in a stable population size. Black rhinos indicate clearly when they have reached carrying capacity - amongst other things, calves have an increased mortality rate, calving intervals are increased, the age at puberty is delayed, and there is intensified aggression among adults.
Ceratotherium simum. Ndumu, 50 (at carrying capacity)
Hluhluwe-Umfolozi, ca. 300, natural population at 033 per km?
By the 1930s, the black rhino had disappeared from South Africa (excluding SWA) except in the Zululand reserves of Hluhluwe-Umfolozi and Mkuzi. They then numbered 150. This increased to 480 by end-1983, distrubuted as follows: Hluhluwe-Umfolozi ca. 300, natural population at 033 per km? Mkuzi 120 - natural population at 0.39 per km? Ndumu 30 - reintroduced Itala 25 - reintroduced Weenen 4 - reintroduced End
Currently, the age ratios for Hluhluwe-Umfolozi are about 75% adults, 10% immatures, and 15% juveniles, whilst recently in Mkuzi the adult segment comprises only 60%.
DEnsities. Hluhluwe-Umfolozi ca. 300, natural population at 033 per km? Mkuzi 120 - natural population at 0.39 per km? The overall density is 0,31 per km?, or one animal per 3,23 km?
There is very little competition between other browsers and the black rhino, but in Etosha there is competition between rhino and elephants.
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