Crisis Zimbabwe Update: June 7, 2009

We translocated 22 in the end from Bubiana. Everyone was a relief to get out but some deserve special mention:
 
Rosemary is the 7 year old female calf of Myrtle who was poached in November 2008 along with her young calf at the time, Mint. Myrtle's sub-adult Basil was poached in December 2008 leaving Rosemary as her only known offspring surviving in Bubiana.
 
With Rosemary was Figtree - Marula's calf of 2005. Marula and Myrtle were best friends and always found close to each other or calf sitting the others sub-adult so it is no surprise these two were together. Marula and her current calf Cassia were also translocated.
 
Sinikwe's mother Ulemule and her sub-adult calf Serina (Sinikwe's sister) were found on a property to the west of where she normally lives. With Ulemule, Sinikwe, Jiros and Serina moved the whole Ulemule family is now relocated to Bubye.
 
We also got both our local big heavies - Dozer and Ganya. Dozer had a number of new scars indicating he had been scrapping recently with Ganya. 
 
Sadly the numbers on Rocky Glen and Boulder Creek (where monitoring is performed by the property owners) were much lower than hoped. Management there had said they had about 15 rhinos (out of 45 18 months ago) but we only found five. This is a disturbing example of what can happen when monitoring is not adequate. We found five carcasses while searching for rhinos to translocate.

---

  
Crisis Zimbabwe Update: June, 5, 2009

A little can go a long way

Although the challenges we face in Zimbabwe can seem overwhelming at times, our brave staff and partners remain dedicated to protecting Zimbabwe’s rhinos from poachers, and with the help they have received from donors around the world, they are succeeding. It doesn’t take much to make a difference:

$10 feeds one young rhino orphan for a day, including skim milk powder, glucose, multivitamins, rice and cubes.

$25 provides patrol rations -- mealie meal, sugar beans, cooking oil, salt, sugar, tea and soap -- for a rhino monitor for an entire month. (These basic commodities have become so difficult to find in Zimbabwe that they must be imported from South Africa.)

$50 feeds all five calves currently under our care (three young calves and two older ones) for one day, including time and transport required to collect fresh browse for the older calves.

$100 covers monitoring costs (staff and equipment) for a “crucial” rhino sighting. Our staff aim to find and identify each rhino in the Lowveld on a regular basis to help monitor and protect the population. “Crucial" sightings are of rhinos that have taken even more effort to find than usual, perhaps new-born calves that haven’t yet been recorded, or injured rhinos that need veterinary treatment.

---

Crisis Zimbabwe Update: May, 30, 2009

Translocation Update from Natasha Anderson,
May 21, 2009

The translocation op is off to a good start. On day one we found the cow and calf that the poachers have been putting so much effort into chasing. We have better trackers (and a Squirrel helicopter), so we won and the two have been captured and released in safer environs.
 
Yesterday was even better - trackers found Jiros (Sinikwe's brother). Once he was disturbed by the fixed wing he ran to Sinikwe, so then we knew where she was. Once Jiros was on the back of the truck, Raoul found Sinikwe again - waiting pretty much where she was when we darted Jiros. Sinikwe, disturbed by the circling fixed wing, also ran off looking for reassuring company and lead us straight to another young bull. So we moved all three.

 

 

---

  

Crisis Zimbabwe Update: May 26, 2009

 

On Sunday, May 10th, our rhino monitors were tracking a black rhino cow called Three and her 12 month old calf. Quietly moving through the bush, they noticed movement about 100 yards away - two armed poachers also tracking the same cow calf pair. They immediately radioed for National Parks and anti-poaching guard support, as our rhino monitors are not armed. Once linked up with armed guards, they moved in on the spoor trail again and found the poachers had actually lost the rhinos tracks and were now scouting in circles trying to relocate them. The follow-up team split - one to follow the poachers and the other to follow the rhinos. Less than a mile away the cow and calf had laid down for their midday nap. If the poachers had not lost their spoor, they would almost certainly have been killed. The rhinos’ tracks indicated that they had quietly gotten up from their rest and browsed while moving north. The poachers had continued circling to their south. Unfortunately the anti-poaching unit never caught up with the poachers, as tracking human spoor in long dry grass is a very difficult task.
 
Two days later, the same shoe patterns as seen on Sunday were located following three rhinos - this time a cow with a large calf and a bull. The bull was with the cow to mate and so there was a lot of movement with this group and little rest time to give poachers a chance to catch up. Fortunately again, the poachers did not get close enough to shoot these rhinos, but they remained in the same area and our concern was that the poachers would definitely search for these animals again over the weekend. Extra patrols were deployed in the hope that the poachers - seeing fresh footprints of anti-poaching scouts in the area - would think better of pursuing these animals again.
 
Sinikwe, our wounded black rhino cow, is now settling down after her shooting and monitors are able to get more than a fleeting glimpse of her. She has a new companion - a young bull with no ear-notches who is a previously unrecorded rhino to us. With any luck, these two will stay together and we will capture them both for translocating. Jiros, Sinikwe's brother, is still in the area.
 
We have also had a new addition recorded. Angeline, a 15 year old black rhino cow had a new calf last month. With the calf so small, the mother is very protective and keeping to very thick bush so the monitors were not able to get any clear photos.

---

  
Crisis Zimbabwe Update: May 21, 2009

It isn’t always bad news in the Lowveld – although way too many rhinos have been killed this year, a significant population still survives. This is Jiros - Sinikwe's younger brother. Since Sinikwe's calf was killed by poachers (see update below from March 30th), we have found brother and sister together frequently and will be moving both to a more secure area, where we can better protect them from poachers, in our translocation operation.

  
Crisis Zimbabwe Update: May 18, 2009

Weekend Update from Natasha Anderson:

Looks like we all made it through. No poachers spoor located and no shots reported.
 
Today is final preparation day for the upcoming emergency translocations. Dr. Chris Foggin is arriving with his son Greg to set up all the veterinary kit. Lovemore Mungwashu is driving the Merc translocation truck down from Harare. Raoul and Dr. Mark Davies will fly in this afternoon (the Husky made it through all it's tests!!). Jackson Kamwi - our senior rhino monitor - is coming across from Save Valley. Jackson has probably tracked more rhinos for translocation than any other person anywhere and his experience and skill is invaluable. Glenton Combes will be here with the Squirrel helicopter Tuesday morning early.
 
The rhino monitors will be locating the priority rhinos today so they have the best idea where to pick up on them tomorrow morning when the translocation team is set.
 
Here we go!

Example of past rhino translocations.

---

Crisis Zimbabwe Update: May 18, 2009

From The Herald, 18 May 2009 

3 poachers shot dead
By George Maponga in Masvingo

Three suspected poachers, who were part of a five-man gang allegedly intending to kill rhinos at Malilangwe Trust Conservancy in Chiredzi, were last weekend shot dead by a joint team of police and game rangers following a prolonged exchange of gunfire.

After the shootout, inside the conservancy, one of the five suspects escaped while the other one was apprehended while holed up in their getaway Toyota Hilux parked along the Chiredzi-Tanganda highway.

A police team and game rangers ambushed the poachers at Chipangadzi Bridge inside Malilangwe following a tip-off.

Masvingo police spokesman Inspector Phibion Nyambo said the names of the three were being withheld until their next of kin had been notified.

"Three suspected poachers, all of them from Gweru, were shot dead following an encounter with our officers who were on patrol together with game rangers from Malilangwe.

"We managed to arrest one of the suspects and also impounded the Toyota Hilux which they wanted to use as a getaway car.

"However, one of the suspects managed to flee and we are looking for him. We managed to recover two rifles, — a .303 and a .306 — which the suspects were using."We also recovered 58 live rounds of ammunition and some spent cartridges," said Insp Nyambo.

He said the bodies of the poachers were taken to Chiredzi District Hospital for post-mortem.

It is believed that the poachers arrived at Malilangwe Trust Conservancy aboard a Toyota Hilux with the intention of killing rhinos and dehorning them.

Police, acting on a tip-off, teamed up with game rangers and ambushed the suspects inside the conservancy. They encountered the poachers at Chipangadzi Bridge and ordered them to surrender. But the suspects started firing at the police and game rangers prompting a prolonged gunfight that resulted in the death of the three.

Insp Nyambo said police were increasingly worried by the rampant poaching of rhinos in the Lowveld. Last year poachers killed about 13 rhinos in the Lowveld.

Only recently, another suspected poacher, Starford Machirori, was shot dead by game rangers while poaching rhinos at Kyle Recreational Park.

Zimbabwe is up for discussion at next year’s Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species meeting over the increased poaching of rhinos, which are classified as endangered species.

Zimbabwe has lost about 70 rhinos over the past 12 months to poaching, according to Parks’ official statistics.

Searching Tandeka's sub-adult calf's carcass for ballistics evidence

Sylvester Ncube (Bubye Valley Conservancy Security Sergeant) and Israel Ngarira (Senior Rhino Monitor) searched through the carcass of Tandeka’s calf to locate bullet heads. Three were found in this carcass. This evidence helps us build a case against the poachers and provides clues to the poachers’ identities - the bullet heads found in this rhino were not AK-47 rounds as has been the case in most other recent poaching.

Crisis Zimbabwe Update: May 12, 2009

Some good news..... The black rhino called Juliet who was shot by poachers on March 30th (see update below from April 14) is looking strong and is likely to recover without need for veterinary intervention. Understandably she is still highly sensitive to any disturbance and has given the rhino monitors a few very close calls when they have tried to approach her to check on the bullet injury. Juliet is still returning to her calf's carcass - as is Sinikwe who was also shot when poachers killed her calf. Fortunately, in the area where Juliet lives, we have found no sign of the poachers returning (as has been the case in the area where Sinikwe lives). The fact that scouts found and shot at the poachers when they were trying to locate Juliet to finish her off on the 31st of March is no doubt a factor in this.
 

Crisis Zimbabwe Update: May 7, 2009

Meet the Orphans – Part 3

Sassy was orphaned at four months; she was found two days after her mother had been shot by poachers for her horn.

Sassy was born in June 2008 and is the smallest of the rhino calves, with a normal pointed horn. Sassy was orphaned on October 31, 2008; she was found in the Bubiana Conservancy by ranch scouts two days after her mother had been shot.

Sassy remained very close to her mother's carcass, even when people were moving around nearby, so the Lowveld Rhino Trust staff decided to capture her in a net instead relying on the usual drug darting that can be risky in the high October temperatures (around 40˚C). Once caught in the net, Sassy was given a tranquilizer in order to calm her for transportation in the crate so she could be taken to join Blondie and Millie.

Sassy was a completely different story from Millie, and violently attacked anyone who even thought about coming near her. She was so quick with her violent head butts to people's shins that she retired a six-man-capture-team in three days with injuries. So new men with fresh legs needed to be roped into the ring for a further two violent days before Sassy realized that the milk bottle was a good thing and started to feed willingly from a bottle.

All three young orphans now live together and will be raised and released as a group, or crash, as a group of rhinos are known. Millie and Sassy have become very closely bonded, but Blondie is generally the leader, being the eldest and largest of the three.

Now that the three orphans are settled in their routine of bottle feeding, they are allowed out into a well-fenced paddock to browse and exercise during the day. All three will need to be bottle-fed for another year before they are weaned. They will be kept in the paddock for another year past weaning, until they are big enough to be released completely back into the wild where they will face lions and hyenas.

Crisis Zimbabwe Update: May 4, 2009

Meet the Orphans – Part 2

Millie was orphaned at four months when her mother drank from a poisoned natural water source.

Millie, a young female orphan, was born in May 2008; Millie can be identified by her small and odd shaped front horn. Millie was orphaned at three months old on the 30th August 2008 after her mother Hada died after drinking from a poisoned water source in the Save Valley Conservancy.

Rhinos are very habitual creatures and will drink regularly from the same water source. The poachers knew rhino were drinking at this particular spring and poisoned it with cyanide. The level of toxicity was such that birds were dying in the water. Many cattle, belonging to the nearby villagers, also died. It was villagers looking for their cattle that found Hada's carcass and her small three month old calf. The calf was darted and captured that day and transported so she could be raised with the other young rhino orphan - Blondie.

Millie proved to be an incredibly gentle beast. Generally, before a calf has learnt to take milk willingly they need to be physically restrained by up to six men so the milk bottle can be forced into the calf's mouth to feed. Millie possibly suffered slight poisoning and was very slow to take to the bottle. Millie never required any restraint and always approached anyone entering her pen, but for days showed no serious interest in suckling and the milk had to be practically pumped into her mouth. She was always more interested in physical contact than feeding and would fall asleep content against the person patiently trying to get her to suckle. Once Millie was taking the bottle, it was time to introduce her to Blondie as black rhinos are sociable creatures and need company. It was not love at first sight for Millie, who screamed at Blondie till he went back to his corner of the pen and lay down in defeat. It was a different picture by the next day and the two hardly let a meter of space develop between them.

Crisis Zimbabwe Update: April 29, 2009

From The Herald – April 27, 2009

Rhino Poaching Puts Zim under Spotlight
Zimbabwe faces possible censure from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) after losing at least 70 rhinos in the past 12 months to well co-ordinated local, regional and international poaching syndicates. It emerged last week that Zimbabwe has been placed on the agenda of the next CITES meeting to be held next year. CITES -- to which Zimbabwe is a signatory -- is an international wildlife protection body whose secretariat is based in Geneva, Switzerland. In an interview, Parks and Wildlife Management Authority director-general Dr Morris Mtsambiwa said the authority was worried by the resurgence of poaching targeting endangered species such as the rhino. "Rhino poaching has put Zimbabwe in the spotlight within the framework of CITES. We now have to answer serious questions at CITES."

Dr Mtsambiwa said the Parks authority was exploring ways of curbing the poaching of rhinos by, for example, reviving intensive patrol zones that were successfully employed in the past to combat poaching of endangered species like rhinos. Efforts were also underway to recruit and train more rangers to beef up its staff to cope with the new challenges posed by poachers. Parks was also working with other stakeholders such as the police and private conservancies to come up with new strategies to combat poaching of endangered species. "We are also working with neighbouring countries like South Africa to try and contain the scourge of poaching and we have an arrangement where we are also seconding our rangers to private conservancies to combat poaching," said Dr Mtsambiwa.

From SW Radio Africa – April 28, 2009

Elephants Flee Zimbabwe as Poaching Increases
Last week a heavily armed rhino poacher, identified as a former army officer, was shot and killed by rangers in southern Zimbabwe. The surge in rhino poaching has been blamed on “well co-ordinated local, regional and international syndicates” and has caught the attention of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), an international regulatory body. Read more. 

From The Zimbabwe Times - April 29, 2009

Army moves in to protect endangered rhino
The Zimbabwe National Army has deployed troops at the country’s sanctuaries as it emerged that the Convention on International Trade on Endangered Species (CITES) is mulling a censure of Harare for allegedly allowing the loss of over 80 rhinos in less than 12 months. Read more. 

Crisis Zimbabwe Update: April 24, 2009

The Lowveld Rhino Trust is extremely lucky to have a long-time, dedicated group of donors and stakeholders who have helped to support rhino management and protection in Zimbabwe for many years, and are committed to making sure that Zimbabwe’s rhino survive this current crisis.

Beit Trust
The Beit Trust, a 104-year-old foundation that makes grants in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe, has provided significant funding to help establish and support black rhino conservancies in Zimbabwe’s lowveld.

Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund
The Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund has provided annual support to the Lowveld Rhino Trust for rhino management and monitoring activities.

Gilman International Conservation Foundation
Gilman International Conservation promotes conservation of flagship species and their natural habitats. Gilman provides yearly support for the Lowveld Rhino Trust’s rhino management and monitoring activities.

International Rhino Foundation
IRF provides significant technical support to the Lowveld Rhino Trust and fundraises for the program. Numerous individuals and zoos have contributed funds to help protect Zimbabwe’s rhinos through IRF, including the Fort Worth Zoo, the Toronto Zoo, and the Ledder Family Charitable Trust.

Paul Tudor Jones
Paul Tudor Jones is a philanthropist who supports the rhino operations with an annual allocation of helicopter time, in return for which the Lowveld Rhino Trust provides technical advice and logistical support for rhino management on Malilangwe Estate, Zimbabwe, in which he has invested.

SAVE Foundation
The SAVE Foundation of Australia is committing to protecting Africa’s wildlife, with a special focus on conserving black rhinos in Zimbabwe. The Foundation provides the Lowveld Rhino Trust with funding for equipment like radios, GPS units, and field kits, and for salaries for monitoring units.

Save the Rhino International
Save the Rhino International supports and raises funding from individuals, zoos, trusts and foundations and from its own core funds, for the Lowveld Rhino Trust’s annual and emergency operations. Wilhelma, the Zoological and Botanical Zoo in Stuttgart, Germany, The Marjorie Coote Animal Welfare Trust and the EAZA Rhino Campaign have all contributed funds to Zimbabwe through SRI.

Sea World Busch Gardens Conservation Fund
The Sea World Busch Gardens Conservation Fund supports the annual operations of the Lowveld Rhino Trust, including veterinary treatment, translocations and monitoring.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Rhino and Tiger Conservation Fund 
USFWS has provided financial support for rhino translocations and veterinary care since 2004, and has increased funding this year in response to the crisis. Officials recognize the significance of these events and are making every effort to mobilize financial resources for veterinary interventions and anti-poaching efforts.

World Wildlife Fund Southern Africa Regional Programme Office
WWF SARPO provides significant support to the Lowveld Rhino Trust for office and running costs, vehicles, equipment, and other costs necessary to implement annual rhino operations.

  
Crisis Zimbabwe Update: April 21, 2009

Meet the Orphans – Part 1

The Lowveld Rhino Trust is currently raising five black rhino orphans, all of whom lost their mothers to poachers and were too young to survive on their own. Two calves – Carla and Lisa Marie – are almost old enough to survive on their own in the wild and will be released soon. The three youngsters – Blondie, Sassy, and Millie – will require significantly more time under human care before they can be released. Each orphan has a unique story.Blondie, a young male rhino, was born in April 2008. He is the oldest and largest of the three youngsters, and is the only small calf with ear notches (these notches are made to identify and monitor individual rhinos). Blondie was orphaned on August 3rd, 2008, in the Midlands Conservancy, when his mother Tapiwa was shot by poachers.

Early in the evening of August 3rd, the Lowveld Rhino Trust received a message that a female rhino had been shot by poachers, leaving behind a four-month-old orphaned calf requiring capture and care. The capture team hurriedly made arrangements and arrived on site early the next morning, August 4th, where they found the young calf huddling beside his dead mother. The team darted the calf and put him in a modified game capture crate for transport. The team arrived with the young rhino at the orphan calf pens at around 1:00 am on August 6th – keeper Blondie Leathem’s 50th birthday. The calf was named Blondie, in honor of the man who would become his “foster father.”Once the calf was offloaded, his human keepers tried to get him to take a bottle of milk – often a difficult process for young rhinos only used to nursing from their mothers. To stimulate the suckling reflex, veterinarian Dr. Chris Foggin massaged the calf's tongue while inserting the milk bottle. At the end of a very long and tiring day, Chris did not notice that his thumb had slipped sideways between the calf's teeth. The resulting sound was exactly like what you hear when an adult rhino bites through a branch. Fortunately Chris’s finger remained intact, though very misshapen. After this initial mishap, Blondie did learn to nurse successfully and is now healthy and thriving, and enjoying the company of his fellow orphans, Millie and Sassy.

                 Tune in next week to learn more about the other orphans!

Crisis: Zimbabwe Update: April 14, 2009

On Monday, March 30th, Zimbabwean scouts, responding to shots, located poachers’ tracks following a group of three rhinos -- a bull, cow and calf. The rhino group split up and the poachers followed the spoor of the large bull. Tracking through the afternoon, the scouts eventually caught up to the bull rhino. Sadly, he had already been shot and was laboring through his last breaths. It was too late to save him. Expecting the poachers to return to recover the horn, the scouts sat in ambush, but then just as darkness fell, they heard a single shot to the south. The poachers did not return to the bull carcass to recover the horns overnight, so the scouts moved south at first light and soon picked up the poachers' tracks again, and this time caught up with them. Shots were fired, but the poachers escaped through the thick bush. A search of the area located the carcass of a twelve-month-old female calf. The trampled bushes around the carcass indicated that the mother had been agitatedly standing by as her calf died. This is where the poachers had returned the evening before - having shot the calf when they shot the bull earlier in the day, they knew the mother would stay by her dying calf. The last shot at dark was aimed at the calf's mother - Juliet.

Juliet has been located and has a single bullet wound to the neck. Fortunately, she is moving and feeding normally and the wound does not appear to be too deep, so her chances for survival are very good. The search for the poachers continues - matching tracks were found over the weekend, moving into a neighboring property.

  
Crisis: Zimbabwe Update: April 6, 2009

Our Truly Dedicated Rhino Team
We are so fortunate to have an incredibly experienced, dedicated and passionate team in Zimbabwe, who often risk their own safety to save rhinos from poachers. Our staff and partners work in one of the most difficult places in the world in which to do conservation, and are true conservation heroes. The Lowveld Rhino Trust is currently gearing up to translocate at least 50 rhinos over the next few months, in emergency operations aimed at removing rhinos from high-risk areas where poachers abound to safer conservancies where they can be more easily monitored and protected.

Once the ground teams have been adequately directed and the darts are ready, the aircraft pilot calls the helicopter into position so that the veterinarian can dart the rhino. This stage of the operation requires skilled teamwork as the helicopter is flying very low in often difficult conditions (tall trees, high temperatures, moving target), so the aircraft pilot must direct the helicopter pilot as to how the rhino needs to be driven to create darting opportunities and avoid dangers to the rhino such as water bodies, steep gullies, and rough, rocky terrain. Once the rhino (or rhinos, as cow-calf pairs frequently need to be darted at the same time when being translocated) is stationary, the helicopter lands to offload the vet. At this time the ground team also arrives at the site to provide whatever support is necessary. During the immobilization, the rhino’s breathing, blood oxygenation, pulse and temperature are closely monitored so that appropriate action can be taken to control any problems. The transport crate is lifted off the truck with a mounted crane and placed immediately in front of the rhino. A rope is secured to the rhino’s head to help with pulling the rhino into the crate once it has been partially revived. Once the rhino is securely inside the crate it is loaded onto the truck for transporting, and driven to its new home. The rhino is then carefully released and monitored for any problems.

Crisis: Zimbabwe Update: March 30, 2009

Crisis: Zimbabwe Update: March 30, 2009

Poachers Target Black Rhino Mother After Killing Her Calf

Crisis: Zimbabwe Update: March 23, 2009

Nursing Orphaned Rhino Calves Back to Health

Rhinos in Zimbabwe are now being specifically targeted and killed by poachers for their horns, often leaving behind calves that are still nursing and cannot survive on their own. Rhino calves are also particularly vulnerable to being caught in snares set for bushmeat. Staff from the Lowveld Rhino Trust increasingly have to rescue and hand-rear these injured and orphaned calves -- ensuring the calves’ survival is vital to keep Zimbabwe’s overall rhino population growing.

Orphaned calves that are still nursing are given a milk powder feed with special supplements. Getting them acclimated to drinking a bottle from humans is a process that often takes long hours of training! Our staff also treat any injuries the calves may have received. The calves reside in fenced paddocks during the day, and are kept in secure bomas at night to protect them from poachers and other animals. As soon as they have recovered from their injuries and have been weaned, the calves are released back into the wild.

  


Crisis: Zimbabwe Update: March 17, 2009

Comments for :