Thanks to the protection afforded it by the Belgian Government, the northern race of the white, or square-lipped rhinoceros, Ceratotherium simum cottoni, is increasing in the Garamba National Park of the Belgian Congo. This park was specially created in 1938 to preserve the species, whose numbers there were down to about a hundred individuals. They now probably approach 1,000.
But the story of the black rhinoceros, Diceros bicornis, is very different. Once common in the savannahs of Katanga, but now exterminated there.
The fact that Karagwe still has perhaps a hundred black rhinoceros is without doubt due to its almost inaccessible terrain. Valleys and thickly wooded mountain sides provide excellent shelter for these animals, and it is only at the height of the dry sea
From Tanzania to Rwanda. The capture of a rhinoceros. Mr. de Beer directs operations at the wheel of his Dodge. On the platform behind him are his assistants. They have a very flexible rod about 3 metres long carrying the noose end of a special rope, 1 ? cm. in diameter. The other end of this rope is firmly attached to the body of the Dodge. When a mother rhinoceros and her young are found, the trapper tries by every means in his power, even by bush burning, to drive them on to terrain where the vehicle can get up speed. Then the pursuit begins, for the rhino always take flight unless the young one is too small to follow its mother. As soon as the mother realizes she cannot get away, she stops and charges the vehicle. It is now that Mr. de Beer, sixty-five years old, shows his great boldness and sang-froid. Aiming to separate the mother from her young one, he circles round the animals, all the while avoiding the furious mother's direct charge, so that only rarely is the car's armoured plating pierced by her horn. Contrary to one's expectations, the mother soon gives up the fight and makes off, deserting her young one. The moment has then come to place the vehicle behind the young rhinoceros and to push it several hundred metres so that the mother shall not interfere during actual capture. Then Mr. de Beer drives up close to the animal's flank to enable one of his assistants to place the noose around the head and behind the two horns of the rhinoceros. The car then moves off and, as one end of the rope is firmly attached to it, the captive must follow. As the animal drags at the rope, Mr. de Beer gradually slows down and finally stops. His assistants get down, fasten the animal's limbs together and turn it on its side. If it is not too big they then hoist it into the vehicle and take it back to camp. Otherwise, not without difficulty, they put it into a crate and there it can calm its rage against the solid walls of its cell.
Kagera NP, Rwanda. Their favourite food seems to consist of tender Acacia seyal and Acacia senegal. Sometimes they like to eat a branch of Euphorbia calicina or Asparagus africanus.
Kagera NP, Rwanda. Their favourite food seems to consist of tender Acacia seyal and Acacia senegal. Sometimes they like to eat a branch of Euphorbia calicina or Asparagus africanus.
Translocation from Tanzania to Rwanda. At Mihindi, being too small to face the dangers of the bush, he had to remain in the compound, where unfortunately he died from the after-effects of an attack of enteritis.
In the meantime, an American scientific mission from Florida was working hard to perfect an anaesthetic based on crystallized nicotine salicylate, but although this method had proved effective for antelopes and for deer, rendering them unconscious for about 20 minutes, it had not succeeded with animals the weght of a young rhinoceros.
Capture in Tanzania to take to Rwanda The table below gives details of the captured animals. Name Approx.age Sex Height (m) Length of horns Date of capture First Second 1958 Kyerwa 3 ? years F 1.20 14 5 30 July Karagwe 3 years F 1.18 11 4 3 August Mihindi 15 months M 0.90 7 3 31 July Kadjumbura 3 years F 1.16 13 5 12 August Bwana Mkubwa 4 ? years M 1.27 25 9 15 August Hago 3 years F 1.14 10 5 24 August Rutabari 3 years M 1.14 11 5 14 Aug 1959 End
Capture in Tanzania to take to Rwanda The table below gives details of the captured animals. Name Approx.age Sex Height (m) Kyerwa 3 ? years F 1.20 Karagwe 3 years F 1.18 Mihindi 15 months M 0.90 Kadjumbura 3 years F 1.16 Bwana Mkubwa 4 ? years M 1.27 Hago 3 years F 1.14 Rutabari 3 years M 1.14 11 5 14 Aug 1959 End
