Forty-one black rhino were captured and moved to the Etosha National Park during May and June 1970 and 1971.
After translocation Several rhino were involved in mortal combat 2 to 10 weeks after they were released. It was necessary to recapture one bull and move it to another area.
The drug combinations and the dosage rates used (Hofmeyr et. al., 1973), induced rapid narcosis which was required to prevent the rhino from returning to difficult country with the possibility of falling down precipices while in a semi-conscious state. However, during the 1970 operation tremendous difficulties were experienced when dart needles broke off upon penetrating the rhino's hide. This resulted in the rhino being only partially drugged and an average of 3 to 4 darts were re- quired to induce narcosis. This problem was overcome in the 1971 operation by using fortified Kruger National Park needles.
The rhino invariably inhabited almost inaccessible mountainous areas and had to be immobilized by darting them from a helicopter. In order to minimise overstraining, one of the main objectives was to dart the rhino as soon as it was located. This was not always easy as the majority first had to be guided by the helicopter to more flat and accessible terrain before the darting commenced.
The loading of rhino with the aid of monkey winches and rollers had always been a laborious and time consuming process. The use of a multilift device which has a dismountable platform onto which the rhino crate was tied, greatly facillitated the loading of the rhino in this operation. The loading, from the moment the antidote was injected to when the vehicle was ready for departure could be achieved in 15 minutes.
Upon arriving in the Etosha National Park the rhino were offloaded into holding pens and kept for an adaptation period of one to two months before they were released. The rhino captured during 1971 were released in a 24 000 hectare paddock or an area approximately the size of the Hluhluwe Game Reserve. Several rhino were involved in mortal combat 2 to 10 weeks after they were released. It was necessary to recapture one bull and move it to another area.
Upon arriving in the Etosha National Park the rhino were offloaded into holding pens and kept for an adaptation period of one to two months before they were released. The rhino captured during 1971 were released in a 24 000 hectare paddock or an area approximately the size of the Hluhluwe Game Reserve. Several rhino were involved in mortal combat 2 to 10 weeks after they were released. It was necessary to recapture one bull and move it to another area.
