Current population ca. 25. In this way, a total of 135 rhino have been moved from the Zululand Reserves since 1962. Within Natal, the recipients have been Ndumu (15), ltala (23) and Weenen (4);
Diceros bicornis. Current population ca. 60
Diceros bicornis . Current population in Huluhluwe-Umfolozi ca. 300
A game count in 1961 produced a population estimate of 300 for Hluhluwe, with densities ranging from 0.6 to 1.7 rhinos/ km?. The same year a population crash occurred in the north-eastern area of the reserve with 46 animals dying over a four month period. These events were reported by Peter Hitchins who also found that numbers continued to decline in Hluhluwe during the dry cycle of the late 1960s, so that by 1972 the estimate was 199. Over the same period numbers increased to about 129 in Umfolozi. The overall density in 1972 of 0.36 rhinos/ km? for Hluhluwe-Umfolozi was still far higher than found elsewhere in Africa. No further removals took place until 1977 when it was agreed that a further 20 black rhinos could be made available from Hluhluwe over a 5 year period to large conservation areas within the species former range and where habitat conditions were suitable. In the meantime, we re-assessed the population structure in Hluhluwe and Umfolozi using data from 1975-1977 and found that the sex and age ratios were very similar to those reported in 1972 by Peter Hitchins, and as recorded deaths had decreased we assumed that the population had probably not declined. This assessment was carried out during a high rainfall cycle when black rhinos were unlikely to have been under significant environmental stress, and the removals represented less than the expected rate of increase for Hluhluwe of 5%. The next dry cycle began in 1977/78, the stocking rates of both grazers and browsers in the reserve were above carrying capacity and the habitat rapidly deteriorated. By 1979 most of the vegetation monitoring sites showed over-utilisation of the browse resources and 5 black rhino deaths were recorded in the late winter in Umfolozi. To pre-empt a population decline such as had occurred in the 1960s, Peter Hitchins and Jeremy Anderson recommended that the black rhino density in Umfolozi should be reduced, and 14 animals were removed in 1980. The dry cycle continued, so in late 1980 Tony Whateley, Jeremy Anderson and I decided to re-sample population structures throughout the area. This was made possible through a donation of helicopter hours by the Endangered Wildlife Trust. A total of 128 rhino, or 37% of the population, were contacted in 19 hours flying. The results were extremely interesting, as the percentages of immature rhino under 3.5 years old in Hluhluwe and Umfolozi (excluding the central corridor) were only 11 % and 8% respectively, and no calves under a year were recorded in Umfolozi.
The response of the population over this period and the high population density suggested that the carrying capacity had been reached, at least in Hluhluwe, and this prompted the translocation of 20 black rhinos to Kruger National Park in 1971. In this way, a total of 135 rhino have been moved from the Zululand Reserves since 1962. Translocations externally have been limited to Pilanesberg Game Reserve in Bophutatswana (23) and Kruger National Park in the Transvaal (70). Reports on the performances of the black rhino in the latter two areas are most encouraging. For example, in Kruger Anthony Hall-Martin has reported that they are breeding faster than the parent Hluhluwe-Umfolozi population, this being shown by higher immature (<3.5y): adult female ratios (1.2 versus 0.4) and a higher percentage of calves under one year old (9% versus 5%). This is at a black rhino density of about 0.2/ km? in Kruger as opposed to 0.36 in Hluhluwe-Umfolozi.
At a time when the black rhinoceros is under extreme pressure and declining rapidly over much of its range in Africa, ilt is encouraging to know that in Natal the reverse situation is found. This Province, lying along the north-eastern seaboard of South Africa, contains the active nucleus of the black rhinoceros population south of the Limpopo River. Since 1962, the Natal Parks, Game and Fish Preservation Board has provided rhinos from certain of the Zulu land reserves for re-introduction into other conservation areas within the former range of the species. The importance of Natal's rhino was highlighted by Peter Hitchins in 1975 by his statement that out the 439 black rhinos in the Republic 400 occurred in Natal. While not very significant at that time in terms of the total population in Africa, the continuing decline of the species elsewhere has focussed attention on this population and its role in providing excess animals for conservation. The current population in Natal stands at about 420, distributed between the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi (?300), Mkuzi (?60) and Ndumu Game Reserves (?30), and ltala (?25) and Weenen Nature Reserves (4). Apart from the newly established populations in ltala and Weenen, the remainder have remained fairly stable over the last 10 to 15 years.
In this way, a total of 135 rhino have been moved from the Zululand Reserves since 1962. Translocations externally have been limited to Pilanesberg Game Reserve in Bophutatswana (23) and Kruger National Park in the Transvaal (70).
A game count in 1961 produced a population estimate of 300 for Hluhluwe, with densities ranging from 0.6 to 1.7 rhinos/ km?. The same year a population crash occurred in the north-eastern area of the reserve with 46 animals dying over a four month period. These events were reported by Peter Hitchins who also found that numbers continued to decline in Hluhluwe during the dry cycle of the late 1960s, so that by 1972 the estimate was 199. Over the same period numbers increased to about 129 in Umfolozi. The overall density in 1972 of 0.36 rhinos/ km? for Hluhluwe-Umfolozi was still far higher than found elsewhere in Africa. e.g. Masai Mara Game Reserve 0.1/ km? , Olduvai Gorge 0.002/ km? and Ngorongoro Crater 0.004/ km?. The response of the population over this period and the high population density suggested that the carrying capacity had been reached, at least in Hluhluwe, and this prompted the translocation of 20 black rhinos to Kruger National Park in 1971.
