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Moving Rhinos to Botswana for Conservation

KathrynH

There is an interesting story in the Smithsonian about a project to relocate rhinos to the Okavango Delta region to protect them from poachers. There is a map, but it is rather imprecise. The Zambia-Botswana-South Africa tour features a visit to a rhino sanctuary in Zambia. I could not tell from this article whether there is a formal conservation effort for the rhinos in Botswana (or not).

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/dangerous-work-relocating-5000-pound-rhinos-180969008/

Sadly, the Smithsonian story reports that the last female white northern rhinoceros died in March 2018. We saw it on our Tauck visit to Kenya one year earlier. Sad to hear of her passing.

Comments

AlanS

KathrynH wrote:

There is an interesting story in the Smithsonian about a project to relocate rhinos to the Okavango Delta region to protect them from poachers. There is a map, but it is rather imprecise. The Zambia-Botswana-South Africa tour features a visit to a rhino sanctuary in Zambia. I could not tell from this article whether there is a formal conservation effort for the rhinos in Botswana (or not).

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/dangerous-work-relocating-5000-pound-rhinos-180969008/

Sadly, the Smithsonian story reports that the last female white northern rhinoceros died in March 2018. We saw it on our Tauck visit to Kenya one year earlier. Sad to hear of her passing.

Thanks for posting.

It is sad what has happened to the all rhinos, elephants, etc. just because superstitions in some countries hold that ground horn improves fertility (that and carved ivory). Many countries, including China have finally banned the import of ivory but it is still happening. Unfortunately, I believe the current administration here has rescinded a number of laws restricting taking and/or importing trophies, though. I think the the Rhinos you saw in Kenya were two Southern White Rhinos brought from South Africa. The Northern White Rhino is now all but extinct. There was one male left- he died in March and the two remaining females have been unable to conceive. I believe there are still ongoing efforts to artificially inseminate some Southern White Rhino females with sperm stored from the deceased Northern White Rhino male, though I don't know how you would classify the offspring.

I doubt we will see them on our Tauck trip to Botswana next year, but the release is in the general area we will be visiting- between Maun and Camp Kalahari.

taxare

Seeing the southern white rhinos at the Mosi-oa Tunya National park in Livingstone was a sight to behold. I hope you have the same experience that we did!

AlanS

taxare wrote:

Seeing the southern white rhinos at the Mosi-oa Tunya National park in Livingstone was a sight to behold. I hope you have the same experience that we did!

I hope so! It is still included in the online itinerary