Seventeen black rhinos have been reintroduced into Zimbabwe’s Matusadona National Park, marking the return of the endangered species to the Zambezi Valley thre...
Seventeen black rhinos have been reintroduced into Zimbabwe’s Matusadona National Park, marking the return of the endangered species to the Zambezi Valley three decades after widespread poaching forced their removal.
The black rhino population in the valley declined sharply in the early 1990s. Numbers dropped to about 400 from around 3,500 recorded a decade earlier as poachers crossing from Zambia targeted the animals for their horns.
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The remaining rhinos were moved to safer locations in Zimbabwe, Texas and Australia to protect them from extinction. Their removal led to the launch of Zimbabwe’s Save the Rhino campaign, which also featured the song “Run Rhino Run.”
At the height of the poaching crisis, paramilitary police units and the air force joined wildlife rangers in anti-poaching operations. Rangers were given a shoot-to-kill mandate and dozens of poachers were killed, but the measures failed to stop the destruction of the rhino population.
In recent days, 17 black rhinos were flown into Matusadona National Park as part of efforts to restore the species to its former habitat. The park is managed by African Parks and receives support from the foundation of Swiss billionaire Hansjeorg Wyss.
According to park manager Michael Pelham, some of the newly introduced rhinos are descendants of animals that once lived in Matusadona before the evacuation programme of the 1990s.
“This is an incredible closing of a circle that was 30 years in the making,” said Pelham.
“I helped capture the last survivors, we crated them and flew them out to safety, not knowing if the species would ever come back,” he added.
Pelham said the current operation is the first phase of rebuilding the black rhino population in the park. Another 20 rhinos are expected to be introduced next year. The animals will remain in enclosures for several weeks to allow them to adjust to their new environment.
Although poaching remains a threat, authorities say security at the park has improved. More rangers have been deployed and modern technologies such as drones and infrared sensors are being used to monitor the area. The park’s landscape, which includes a lakeshore and steep escarpments, also helps limit illegal access.
According to the International Rhino Foundation, there are currently just under 7,000 black rhinos worldwide. About 800 are found in Zimbabwe, while the rest are mainly located in neighbouring Southern African countries.
African Parks, which was established in 2000, manages 24 parks across Africa in partnership with governments. The organisation operates with an annual budget of more than US$160 million and receives support from the European Union, conservation organisations and donors including Hansjeorg Wyss, Rob Walton and Howard G. Buffett.
The return of black rhinos to Matusadona National Park represents another step in Zimbabwe’s long-term efforts to restore and protect endangered wildlife species.
