A number also strayed across the Lebombos and were lost in Mozambique. Apart from the rhinos which strayed across the eastern boundary into Mozambique and of which number a few were killed by poachers.
During August 1969 the Kruger Park was presented with an adult cow, which the Mlilwane Game reserve in Swaziland found impossible to keep.
It is now generally accepted that the square-lipped or white rhinoceros became extinct in the Transvaal during or just after the year 1896 (Bigalke, 1963). There is little doubt that the last survivors in the Lowveld and, indeed, in the whole of the Transvaal, frequented an area which is today included in the southern district of the Kruger National Park. It is here that Vaughan Kirby (1896) recorded the last living specimens of the species in the dense Nwatimhiri bush, along the southern bank of the Sabi river, between Skukuza and Lower Sabi. Kirby remarks on the fact that `for many years past the well-known 'Matamiri' bush, has been a favourite resort of Rhinoceros simus, but they have become almost extinct now even there. This year (1895) I came upon two in that district, a cow and a big calf, but they are decidedly rare.' In a previous publication (Pienaar, 1963), the author did not include Kirby's record, as the presence of these large grazing animals in the dense Acacia thickets of the Nwatimhiri bush, with its very sparse cover of short grasses appeared very doubtful, and it was considered likely that Kirby may have actually misidentified a pair of black rhinos, which also found sanctuary in this region, and of which a few persisted here until October 1936. Both Glynn (1926) and Stevenson-Hamilton (1950) were quoted as stating that the square-lipped rhinoceros ceased to exist in the Transvaal Low-veld after the seventies of the last century. Subsequent events, and, in particular, the selection of habitats by newly translocated square-lfipped rhinos in the Kruger Park would, however, appear to confirm Kirby's record. Bigalke (1963), therefore, was correct in stating that there is no valid reason to dispute Kirby's assumption that 1896 was the year when the square-lipped rhinoceros disappeared from the Transvaal. The indiscriminate slaughter and ceaseless persecution by hunters during the latter half of the 19th century must be held primarily responsible for the disappearance of these great beasts from this portion of their erstwhile range, but it was also man who was responsible for the reintroduction of the square-lipped rhinoceros into the Transvaal after a lapse of 65 years.
Kruger NP, reintroduced population - Ceratotherium simum. It soon became apparent, however, that the new immigrants did not take to the mopani areas of the north and wandered great distances in search of more suitable habitat. To date, this is the most recent area of colonisation, and also the most important, as it approximates most closely, in both topographical and vegetational aspect, their original habitat in the Umfolozi game reserve. The gently rolling hills and relatively open Terminalia woodland savanna of this region, with its dominant cover of Themeda triandra and Hyparrhenia spp., proved to be most generally acceptable to the new immigrants, and in due course considerable numbers of rhinos took up permanent residence here. This then (i.e. area E) has become the most important rhino habitat of the Park, and differs significantly from all the other rhino habitats in that it is the only area (apart from area D), which is not covered by dense woodland or thicket. Areas B, C and also F are situated in dense Acacia welwitschia, Albizia evansii - Euclea thickets with only patches of more open grassland and woodland on the brackish glades along the rivers and their tributaries. It does seem possible that the selection of these habitats by the animals is a protective adaptation to their foreign surroundings, and that these animals will eventually move out to more characteristically open habitats elsewhere. As yet, they have shown no inclination to leave these areas, except for occasional wanderings, and this may be considered a.,: adequate confirmation for the reported presence of square-lipped rhinos in the dense Nwatimhiri bush in 1895 (vide Kirby, 1896). The attempt to settle square-lipped rhinos in the northern mopani woodlands and savannas was an almost complete failure. Of the 15 animals originally released at Shipandane along the Tsende (area G in Fig. 4), only one bull and one cow remained.
Towards the end of October of this year, also, a report was received of a wandering white rhino bull on a farm near Klaseri. This rhino had possibly strayed from one of the private game reserves to the west of the Kruger Park, but since nobody claimed the beast it was duly captured and transported back to the Kruger Park.
As could be expected, the first few rhinos released directly in the strange surroundings at Doispane and Skurukwane, during the latter half of 1963, took a considerable time to settle down in their new home. Some of the animals wandered great distances during this period, but it was significant that many returned to the area of release before finally taking up more permanent residence in areas which they selected as suitable new habitats. A number of newly arrived animals would linger at the point of release for some time and then wandered south towards Pretoriuskop-a distance of some 15 miles. They would then move around here for a day or so and return to the Sabi on the next day. Their route during these treks to and from Pretoriuskop would take them along the Mtsawu river, which has perennial water-holes along its lower reaches, and it was not unexpected when the first signs of permanent settlement took place in this region (area marked A in Fig. 4). As more and more rhinos were brought into the Park, others wandered further afield and took up permanent residence in other areas. The attempt to settle square-lipped rhinos in the northern mopani woodlands and savannas was an almost complete failure. Of the 15 animals originally released at Shipandane along the Tsende (area G in Fig. 4), only one bull and one cow remained. All the others strayed away and wandered around for months in an attempt to find suitable habitats. In the process some of these animals covered immense distances. Some even moved as far as Pafuri, in the extreme north of the Park, and these also entered Rhodesia from here before returning. A number also strayed across the Lebombos and were lost in Mozambique. One crossed the Letaba river and after considerable wandering in the area between Letaba and Olifants rivers eventually crossed the latter barrier and moved south. At present there are not more than nine square-lipped rhinos in the northern district, of which three are calves which have been born (two to the cow along the Tsende) since 1965.
Kruger NP bomas. the cow 'Kwangulatelo' was observed to mate on 23 November 1965 and gave birth to a bull calf on 14 March 1967 -giving a gestation period of not quite 16 months. This calf, which was christened 'Shaben' was first observed to commence grazing on 16 July, 1967 i.e. 4 months after birth.
Kruger NP. Of this number a total of two males and two females died from either the effects of the drugs or from injuries received in transit, but the mortality rate was very low when the arduous journey and massive weight of these beasts are considered. Most of the other rhinos survived the trip from Natal with no more serious mishap than a few superficial bruises, but some of the more aggressive individuals fought their crates and shed their frontal horns in the process thereof. A new type of crate with a slanting anterior end (see Plate 1) was designed to prevent the translocated rhinos breaking their horns, and these crates have been used with singular success ever since.
Ceratotherium simum - Kruger NP, reintroduced. An adult bull fell down a steep enbankment in search of water in the Numbi area. It found the steep bank of the ravine impossible to negotiate and died here before it was found. A cow drowned when she attempted to cross the Sabi river at a deep point,
Ceratotherium simum - Kruger NP, reintroduced. One of the wandering rhino bulls in the northern district happened to dispute a waterhole at Nkulumbenc-north with a bull elephant and was fatally gored by its adversary after a tremendous battle.
Kruger NP. Another cow, 'Mfolozana' gave birth to a bull calf 'Manung' on 3 November 1965 and to another bull calf 'Stungwane' on 13 April 1968 (vide Plate 2 and 3). This indicated an interval between births of two years, five months and 10 days, which is considerably less than the four and a half years recorded for a cow in the loskop Nature Reserve in Transvaal, and is probably more in keeping with the natural average calving interval in the Zululand population. The cow named 'Faai' gave birth to a bull calf 'Numbi' on 28 March 1966 and to a heifer calf 'Matupa' on 29 March 1969 - i.e. almost exactly three years later (vide Plates 2 and 4).
The cow 'Kwangulatelo' was observed to mate on 23 November 1965 and gave birth to a bull calf on 14 March 1967 -giving a gestation period of not quite 16 months. This calf, which was christened
Ceratotherium simum - Kruger NP, reintroduced. A young bull was caught in a snare along the Sabi river and its leg become gangrenous. It was captured with the aid of drugs but died under treatment.
Ceratotherium simum - Kruger NP, reintroduced. a very large bull was so badly mauled by lions at Mlakeni that it had to be destroyed.
