KZN rhinos find new home in DRC’s Garamba National Park

Read More

Sixteen southern white rhinos have been moved from &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal to Garamba National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Garamba had the only surviving population of the northern white rhino, which saw a rapid decline in numbers from 2003 because of a surge in poaching, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species.

In 2006, fieldwork by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) confirmed that the region had only four white rhinos left. But based largely on extensive foot surveys which failed to sight live rhino or find any signs of their tracks and dung, the population is now considered extinct.

Phinda reserve says translocations are a critical tool in securing the survival of endangered species such as rhino. 

“We believe that this latest conservation translocation and reintroduction is a way of protecting the species through the creation of a new, safe and secure habitat for them,” it said. 

The 16 southern white rhinos were moved to Garamba to also restore the ecological balance there.With the disappearance of the endemic northern white rhino, the habitat in Garamba has changed significantly over the past decade with a loss of “grazing lawns”, originally maintained by rhino, says African Parks, a nonprofit organisation headquartered in Johannesburg. 

These lawns are a vital source of sustenance and habitat for other grazers, as well as being instrumental in fire management by creating natural fire breaks. By re-establishing rhino back into the Garamba, the park’s mega-herbivore populations will be restored to ensure a healthy ecosystem. 

“The return of white rhinos to the Democratic Republic of the Congo is a testament to our country’s commitment to biodiversity conservation. As Garamba is poised to become a globally important sanctuary for megaherbivores, introducing southern white rhino to the country is an important step in advancing our contribution to rhino conservation in Africa” said Milan Ngangay Yves, director general of the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN) in a statement.

The translocation was achieved through a collaboration with the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature, African Parks and Phinda reserve, and was sponsored by the Barrick Gold Corporation, which has undertaken to support the project over the next few years, according to a statement by African Parks. 

Mark Bristow, president and chief executive of Barrick Gold Corporation, said in the statement that it had a 10-year partnership with African Parks and its investment in conservation at Garamba National Park. 

“Biodiversity underpins many ecosystem services on which our mines and their surrounding communities depend,” said Bristow. “Being able to play a role in protecting biodiversity and preventing nature loss is central to what we do. We aim to continue working with our partners in the drive to achieve economic, socio-political and ecological sustainability.”

Phinda reserve has a close relationship with African Parks and they have worked together on a number of translocations, including the translocation of lions to Akagera National Park in Rwanda in 2015 and of rhino to the same destination in 2021. Both species are currently thriving. 

“By partnering with them in this rhino translocation, we believe that we are working with the very best partners possible to stimulate the growth of rhino populations in parts of Africa where their numbers are currently either very low or non-existent,” Phinda reserve said. 

The rhino population in South Africa is facing increased pressure from poaching and the illegal trade in rhino horn. Almost 10 000 rhinos have been lost to poaching in South Africa since 2007, according to the International Rhino Foundation. It is estimated that there are 12 968 white rhino and 2 056 black rhinos in the country.

Phinda reserve says it will continue to do everything possible to protect rhinos. “We are also dedicated to helping create multiple populations of rhino in a number of different geographic regions within Africa,” it said. 

Lesego Chepape is a climate reporting fellow, funded by the Open Society Foundation for South Africa