Conservationists in Kenya are rejoicing as rhinos have been reintroduced to a grassy plateau after being absent for many years at LOISABA CONSERVANCY.

The relocation of 21 eastern black rhinos to a new habitat has the potential to boost their breeding and potentially aid in the conservation of the critically endangered species. This was the largest rhino transfer ever conducted in Kenya.

The rhinos were relocated from three parks that have become too crowded to the privately owned Loisaba Conservancy. This area had previously lost all of its herds due to poaching many years ago.

According to Daniel Ole Yiankere, the security manager at Loisaba, it has been many decades since rhinoceroses were present in this area, almost 50 years to be exact. The rhino population was greatly affected by illegal hunting, but now our main goal is to revitalize this environment and promote breeding among the rhinos with the hope of restoring their numbers to their previous grandeur.

Transporting rhinoceroses is a significant obstacle. The process, spanning 18 days, entails locating the rhinos from a helicopter and administering sedative shots. Afterwards, the creatures, weighing approximately one ton each, must be carefully loaded onto a truck for transportation.

During the relocation process, a potential disaster was averted when a sedated rhino fell into a stream. The veterinarians and rangers used a rope to keep the rhino’s head above water until the effects of a reversal drug kicked in, allowing the rhino to be safely released.

Several rhinos were relocated from Nairobi National Park, traveling a distance of 300 kilometers (186 miles). Additional rhinos were also brought from two nearby parks to Loisaba.

Rhinos are generally solitary animals and are at their happiest in large territories. As numbers in the three parks where the rhinos were moved from have increased, wildlife officials decided to relocate some in the hope that they will be happier and more likely to breed.

According to David Ndere, a rhino specialist at the Kenya Wildlife Service, the breeding rates of rhinos decrease when there is overcrowding in their territory.

Ndere stated that by removing certain animals, the rhino population in those regions is expected to increase. The plan is to then introduce a founder population of at least 20 animals into new areas.

Loisaba Conservancy said it has dedicated around 25,000 hectares (about 96 square miles) to the new arrivals, which are a mix of males and females.

Conservationists report that Kenya has made significant progress in increasing its black rhino numbers. From a high of 20,000 in the 1970s, the population declined drastically due to poaching, reaching a low of less than 300 in the mid-1980s. This sparked concerns that the species could become completely extinct in the country. However, Kenya has since managed to boost its black rhino population to approximately 1,000, making it the third largest population after South Africa and Namibia.

According to the Save the Rhino organization, there are approximately 6,400 wild black rhinos remaining in the world, all of which are located in Africa.

The CEO of Loisaba Conservancy, Tom Silvester, stated that Kenya’s goal is to increase their black rhino population to 2,000 within the next ten years.

The speaker stated that once there are 2,000 people, it will signify a successful revival of the population and bring hope for their extinction.

In the past ten years, authorities in Kenya have moved over 150 rhinos to new locations.

In 2018, an effort to relocate 11 rhinos resulted in tragedy as all of the creatures passed away shortly after being moved.

According to investigations, ten of the rhinos perished due to a combination of stress, dehydration, and starvation. These factors were exacerbated by salt poisoning as the animals attempted to adapt to the higher salinity of their new environment. The remaining rhino was killed by a lion.

New protocols have been established for the capture and transportation of rhinoceroses in Kenya. Silvester reported that evaluations have been carried out on the water conditions at Loisaba.

The country of Kenya is the current residence of the only two northern white rhinos left on Earth. In recent news, scientists have expressed their optimism in potentially rescuing this subspecies through the creation of an embryo using previously collected eggs and sperm from white rhinos. The embryo was then transferred into a black rhino as a surrogate mother. Unfortunately, the pregnancy was only discovered during a postmortem exam after the surrogate passed away from an infection caused by a flood.

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From Nairobi, Kenya, Odula provided a report.

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AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa

Source: wral.com