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In 2012, we saw things in rhino conservation we've never seen before. Over the next few weeks, we'll be sharing them with you. One at a time.
 

Today, despite unspeakable losses to poaching, there are more black rhinos in Zimbabwe's Lowveld today than ever before. (But we can't let our guard down if we hope to save this critically endangered species!)

The International Rhino Foundation works closely with Zimbabwe's Lowveld Rhino Trust to protect threatened rhinos in the Bubye Valley and Save Valley Conservancies. Combined, the Lowveld conservancies cover more than 1.6 million acres and are home to 370 black rhinos - nearly 90% of the national population. In  fact, these represent the only viable black rhino populations in the country.

Take the case of Trouble, a male black rhino calf (right) in the Save Valley Conservancy who has not had an easy start in life. In October 2011, Trouble and his mother, Double, were victims of a poaching attack in which both  sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Following treatment, both rhinos made strong recoveries, but tragedy struck this February when Double was again caught in the poacher's cross-hairs - this time fatally - leaving Trouble an orphan at less than two years of age. Although he was no longer nursing from his mother, he would have remained in her company for protection at least for several more months. Rather than capture Trouble, he was left in the wild and is being closely monitored. He is now two-and-a-half years old and, living in the same area he and his mother previously roamed together, which is what he would have done had she survived.

Then there's Bebrave and Long Playing, two other rhino orphans.  Bebrave's mother and older sister were killed by poachers in August 2011 when he was about a year old. Long Playing, a female calf, was barely seven months old when her mother was killed earlier this year. Both orphaned rhinos were captured for hand-rearing.  Bebrave was orphaned a full six months earlier than Long Playing, so he was already well settled in his ranch home with a huge tractor tire and an orphan eland (see photo right) for company when she arrived.  

Bebrave quickly abandoned both the tire and eland when the gate to Long Playing's pen was opened. At half Bebrave's size, Long Playing was somewhat less enthusiastic about having a new playmate and immediately chased him from her pen (see their size difference in  the photo at right). However, the two quickly became pals and have been inseparable ever since.   

That is, if we can continue to keep these rhinos safe from poaching. For that, we need your help.

And the first rhino born in Manas National Park in this Century!

(But definitely not the last)...

The Indian or greater one-horned rhino was wiped out in Manas National Park in the late 1990s, but is making a comeback. Rhinos from the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and Kaziranga National Park are being reintroduced to Manas as part of the effort known as Indian Rhino Vision 2020. Eighteen rhinos have been reintroduced so far.

We've fallen in love with this baby, which was born several months after its mother arrived (just look at those ears!).  The cow was already pregnant when she was moved, but our field team has noted breeding behavior between some of the other reintroduced rhinos, so future births already seem to be in the works. India's state of Assam is now home to about 2,500 rhinos, with a goal to reach 3,000 by the year 2020. More rhinos will be moved to Manas in 2013, and plans are underway to expand the program to the Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary in the years ahead.

Photo: Sande D.,WWF-India

Help Indian Rhinos with a Holiday Gift 


 

You can help the International Rhino Foundation reach our 3,000 rhino goal by 2020.
It's a big job. And we're taking it one rhino at a time.

As of today.  Since January 1st.      

And we expect it will get worse before the end of the year.

We try to balance the good news with the bad news.  We celebrate our victories and try to remain optimistic when setbacks occur. Last year, our IRF family responded generously as we launched Operation Stop Poaching Now. At this time last year, South Africa was losing one rhino every 18 hours. We never imagined it would be one rhino lost every 13.4 hours today.

Rhino poaching is driven by well-organized and well-equipped crime syndicates. It is not a crime of poverty. Buying and selling rhino horn is illegal in China and Vietnam, but enforcement is lax and prosecutions for smuggling horns  into the country are few and far between. Although 257 poachers have been arrested in South Africa to-date this year, conviction rates are low  and higher-ranking beneficiaries remain untouched.    

Here's what your support for Operation Stop Poaching Now has accomplished so far:  

 

Rhino's Best Friend

Two Belgian Malinois will be trained to sniff out snares, track poachers and find orphans. Photo courtesy Green Dogs Conservation.

 

Through our partner the Endangered Wildlife Trust, we purchased two 'sniffer dogs' like Falco at right and have enough funds to pay their handlers for 1 year. Once they are fully trained, the dogs will be used both in South Africa and in Zimbabwe.

 

We'd like to purchase a second pair of dogs to detect rhino horn in customs in South African airports.  Please consider helping us with this - detection at the source is part of stopping illegal trade!

 

Training

The IRF partnered with security experts in South Africa to provide16 rangers with advanced training in hand-to-hand combat, firearms safety, investigative techniques, intelligence gathering, evidence collection, communications, rhino identification and monitoring. We provided scene-of-crime kits containing basic investigation equipment such as a camera, metal detector, GPS, finger-printing materials, and sealable evidence bags. These key items aid rhino protection and crime scene investigations so that sound evidence against poaching suspects can be generated and used in court.  We have just provided funding for a second round of training to take place in other critical rhino areas in South Africa. 

 

In Zimbabwe,more than 50 staff in Save and Bubye Valley Conservancies took part in standardized, phased training courses starting with basic tracking and anti-poaching. A Quick Reaction Team is being recruited from rangers who passed the advanced course. 

Fewer than 50 remain.

They seem to survive by hiding in plain sight.

But, apparently, they're not camera shy!)