Rhino Conservation Medicine Program – Namibia Update

 

By: Robin W. Radcliffe, DVM, DACZM
To see more of Robin’s photos, visit our Flickr page.
The rainy season in Namibia this year has left a spectacular scene in this wild place. Namibia is a land of remote deserts, but this year it is full of unexpected water. Our local hosts, the Namibian Ministry of Environment and Tourism, tell us that the rains this year are the best they have experienced since 1976. Our adventure begins in Etosha National Park. It is green and lush and teaming with wild animals. Great herds of giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, springbok and zebra abound. We even see a pride of hunting lions. We are here to work in a country holding the second largest population of black rhinoceros left on earth: the desert-adapted black rhinoceros, Diceros bicornis bicornis.
In just 10 days our capture team has examined 29 black rhinoceros. Eighteen of these were immobilized in Etosha for an ear-notching program to identify the rhinos. In close collaboration with African rhinoceros expert Pete Morkel, Namibian capture veterinarian Mark Jago and Namibian rhino coordinator Pierre du Preez, we collaborate on studies in anesthesia to help learn more about the safe capture and translocation of the black rhinoceros of Namibia. We are also training the veterinary team in the application of ultrasound as part of the capture process to help diagnose pregnancy in rhinos at the time of immobilization. With possible concerns over translocation of late pregnant rhinos, we help the team assess pregnancy status including estimates of fetal age to help make informed decisions about whether or not to move a rhino. The ultrasound work began years before at a wildlife reserve in Texas where Fossil Rim staff pioneered the techniques adapted here.
Early each morning Franz takes the spotter plane up to begin his aerial search for black rhinos. Franz is soon joined by helicopter pilot, Jhanne, together with Pete and Mark. The ground team speeds along on dusty roads trying to keep up. The entire team is coordinated by Pierre and we all have radios to allow each part of the team to work together as a group. The ground team arrives at a recumbent rhino minutes after the helicopter and our work begins. Using ultrasound equipment, I show Mark how to examine the female for pregnancy as the rest of our team monitors anesthesia. With me are two colleagues from Cornell University: Robin Gleed is a specialist in equine anesthesia and Julia Flaminio is a professor of equine medicine. Together we are working with our Namibian colleagues to learn more about these amazing rhinos of the desert. We are exploring new techniques in loading rhinoceros for translocation. In one day we captured an amazing 6 rhinoceros!
Rhinoceros immobilized and examined to date:
29 black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis bicornis)
To see more of Robin’s photos, visit our Flickr page.
The Rhino Conservation Medicine Program, a unique collaboration between the International Rhino Foundation, Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, and the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, provides high-level veterinary medical support for global rhino conservation efforts both in the wild and in captivity. 
IRF needs your help to continue providing veterinary support for rhino conservation efforts around the world. Visit our donate page to learn more about how you can help us protect rhinos.