In one of the largest international black rhino translocations to date, WWF South Africa, African Parks, Malawi’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife have successfully moved 17 black rhinos from South Africa to Liwonde National Park in Malawi.
Based on a custodianship agreement signed between the Governments of Malawi and South Africa, the aim is to boost Malawi’s black rhino populations and aid regional efforts to conserve the critically endangered species. This is the first cross-border translocation undertaken by WWF’s Black Rhino Range Expansion Project (BRREP), and the 13th undertaken by BRREP since its inception in 2003.
The 17 rhinos destined for Malawi were captured in KwaZulu-Natal and quarantined for six weeks before being flown from King Shaka airport in Durban to Lilongwe, with every precaution taken to ensure their wellbeing throughout the process. From Lilongwe, they were then driven to their new home, Liwonde National Park, where they were released on Tuesday 12 November and are settling in well.
African Parks is also moving two of Liwonde’s black rhinos to Majete Wildlife Reserve, and another rhino from Majete to Liwonde, to further enhance genetic diversity. The two parks are among four protected areas in the country that are managed by the conservation group African Parks in partnership with the DNPW.
African Parks’ efforts together with the DNPW and local communities to secure and restore Majete and Liwonde since 2003 and 2015 respectively, have transformed these landscapes, resulting in the dramatic reduction of poaching and numerous reintroductions of key species. As wildlife populations have grown, so too has tourism, bringing much needed revenue for their continued conservation and surrounding communities.
Good law enforcement coupled with community initiatives have been central to ensuring adequate security while achieving strong support for Liwonde and Majete. Extensive measures to protect the rhinos include aerial surveillance, daily ranger patrols and the integration of the most advanced technology to enable their live-time tracking. Each animal has been fitted with a new GPS sensor device from Smart Parks, allowing teams to accurately monitor their activity and location on a constant basis.
With only around 5500 black rhinos remaining across their range in the wild, translocations to well-protected areas are essential in giving populations a chance for growth and survival, and allowing future generations of people to benefit from their natural heritage.
The translocation was made possible with the support of Stichting Natura Africae, Vale Logistics and Save the Rhino International. WWF Belgium, The Wyss Foundation, and the People’s Postcode Lottery have provided key multi-year support for the overall management of these parks. The BRREP project is managed by WWF South Africa with funding support from WWF Netherlands, the WWF Nedbank Green Trust and the Ford Wildlife Foundation.
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