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Surge in Rhino Poaching Devastates African Populations

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:00:00 GMT

Organized gangs decimate Zimbabwe herds and may wipe out South Africa's endangered black rhinos within a decade. Ranchers trying to save the animals find heartbreak amid carcasses shorn of horns.

The baby rhino, an orphan, had barely been weaned. Her horn was only a few inches long. But that didn't stop the poachers from hacking it off.

David Uys, 33, had helped raise the rhino after her mother was killed by lightning. He called her Weerkind -- "orphan" in Afrikaans. He won't forget the sight of the bodies of the baby and two other rhinos, shot dead, their horns removed.

"I'm not a one for talking about emotions," Uys said quietly. "But it was like seeing one of your family members dead, the brutality of it."

The slain bull rhino, dubbed Longhorn, was about 35 and had a magnificent horn more than 2 1/2 feet long. The third rhino, Sister, had adopted Weerkind after her mother was killed. The three died together in November on this Limpopo province game ranch that is for tourists, not hunters, north of Pretoria.

"You're angry. You're furious. You're sad. You're crying," said Uys, the ranch manager. "Just a bundle of emotions, bursting inside."

A sharp surge in poaching in South Africa and Zimbabwe by organized gangs has devastated Zimbabwe's rhino population and threatens to wipe out South Africa's critically endangered black rhinos within a decade. South African rancher Pelham Jones warns that the more common white rhino won't be far behind unless something is done.

A report last year by the World Wildlife Fund, the International Union for Conservation of Nature and wildlife-trade monitoring network TRAFFIC said poaching had reached a 15-year high, pushing the animals close to extinction. About 1,500 rhino horns were traded illegally in the last three years, despite a long-standing ban on international trade.

Last year, 122 rhinos were killed in South Africa. Jones predicted that at the current poaching rate, 180 to 200 will be killed this year. A provisional 2009 estimate shows only 800 rhinos remaining in Zimbabwe, and 18,553 white and 1,570 black rhinos in South Africa, according to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, or CITES, which maintains the ban on the trade of rhino horn.

Rhino ranchers, some of whom keep the animals to attract tourists while others rely on limited trophy hunting, are so wary about the involvement of organized crime in rhino killings that few are willing to talk publicly for fear of endangering animals on their properties. Interviews are given on condition that properties, even nearby towns, are not identified.

The ranch where Weerkind was born and killed is a lush green in the summer rainy season, with rocky hills looming into the sky. Birds with impossibly long tails seem weighed down in flight as they flutter near a pond. A red track cuts uphill through the acacia trees. Rain clouds gather, thunder grumbles, and a sudden drenching rain pours down, stopping abruptly half an hour later.

Up close, the rhinos look benign, almost bovine, ambling in the Limpopo sunshine, plucking grass, shadowed by a group of guards in camouflage carrying semiautomatics. Their small, thick-lashed eyes look sleepily docile. But their sheer size is awesome -- a rhino is almost as big as a car, weighing from 2,000 to 3,000 pounds. From a few yards away, they are terrifying.

Not for Uys, even though he's been charged countless times and once was knocked over and walked on. Afterward, he recalled, the bull looked almost apologetic.

Uys has spent his life with rhinos. At 18, he was a rhino guard, sleeping in the bush with them through violent summer thunderstorms and harsh winter nights.

"I was close enough to scratch their ears. They took me as part of the group."

When he did get charged, it was usually his own fault for getting too close, he says.

"Running away is the worst thing you can do," he said. "You can't outrun a rhino." If there's a tree or boulder, you scramble up. If there's thick enough bush, you stand your ground.

Once, photographing a newborn baby, he and a colleague were suddenly approached by the calf. The two men froze. If the mother saw them and charged, there was no bush, no trees, no boulders.

"They react to movement so if you stand completely still, they won't see you," Uys said. "The guy who was with me, his nerves didn't hold out, and he started running. The cow saw us and she came for us."

There was no time to think.

"I threw down my backpack. She smelled me there and took her fury out on the backpack," he said. It was one of his closest calls.

If you called Uys a rhino whisperer, he'd be offended by the cliche. But he does have a gift with the creatures.

The other day, he crouched low about 20 yards away from a male rhino named Benni, trying to get a look at his slightly injured foot. Another rhino, Bettie, suddenly ambled right up to him. Any sharp move would be disastrous. When she got close enough to nuzzle, he raised his hand. He pressed a fist gently just under her horn. Surprised, she wandered off to graze.

Game rancher Jones, who leads an action group of rhino owners to combat poaching, said incidents are reported every other day.

His phone beeps constantly with text messages alerting him to poaching incidents and sightings of suspected poachers.

"There's another one," he said, grabbing his phone.

The police, he said, are little help. In one recent case, they arrived four days after a group of rhinos was killed. In another, a police officer picked up an ax abandoned by the poachers, destroying any fingerprints.

The South African government disbanded the police force's endangered-species unit in 2003. The government last year promised to bring back a special-investigations unit -- but critics believe it's not enough to make a difference.

"This is our cultural heritage," Jones said. "People come to South Africa to see the Big Five, not the Big Four," he added, a reference to South Africa's five biggest wildlife draws: rhinos, elephants, lions, leopards and cape buffalo.

China's recent thrust into Africa in a rush for resources is a major factor in the illegal rhino horn and ivory trade, analysts believe, because China remains the largest market. Rhino horn, made of keratin, the same substance that forms fingernails, hooves, feathers and hair, has long been used in Chinese medicinal tonics.

Zimbabwe's collapse added to the problem, with corrupt government, army and wildlife officials reportedly involved in poaching and smuggling rhino horn and ivory. The airport in that country's capital, Harare, is reportedly a key transit hub.

In South Africa, Vietnamese diplomatic officials have allegedly been involved in rhino horn buying and smuggling. Reports in Vietnam that a government official was "cured" of cancer by rhino horn appear to have spurred Asian demand.

Many fear that the Asian market is so ancient and entrenched, there's not much a small group of farmers can do to save the species. Some support the idea of rhino farming -- regularly pruning horns, which grow back -- to meet the demand and drive down prices. Others argue that legalizing the trade would only fuel demand, putting the creatures at even more risk. After the killings of the baby rhino and two adults, Uys put his energies into Benni and Bettie. Benni, more unpredictable than Longhorn, sometimes charges unexpectedly. Bettie is docile and sweet. Uys worries about their survival almost as if they were his children, just as he once worried about Weerkind and her family.

"Longhorn and Weerkind and Sister were my passion. But since they have been poached, I have devoted all my time to [Benni and Bettie]. And now I think I love them just as much as I loved the others."

robyn.dixon@latimes.com

News items on this page are from external sources and the International Rhino Foundation cannot be held responsible for the authenticity of their content, nor for the continuing presence of original links.

16-Mar-10 8:00 AM

Crackdown on Rhino Horn Trade

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 19:00:00 GMT

THE EASTERN Cape’s Green Scorpions and the police organised crime unit have played a major part in cracking down a syndicate, which trades in illegal rhino horn smuggling all over South Africa.

As a result of a huge undercover operation, during which officials of the provincial Department of Economic Development & Environmental Affairs (Dedea), combined with its counterparts in the North West province, a Vietnamese kingpin was last week sentenced in the Kimberley Regional Court for illegal trading in rhino horns.

Thien Tuan Nguyen had earlier been arrested in Kimberley following the undercover operation, which also involved the SA Police Services’ airwing.

Economic Development head of department Sybert Liebenberg said the conviction of Nguyen was a clear indication that the department had a zero tolerance approach to environmental crime.

Nguyen, a jeweller from Selwood in Port Elizabeth, was given a R200 000 fine, of which R100 000 was suspended for four years.

The court also ordered the Asset Forfeiture Unit to attach R1.3 million Nguyen had paid undercover agents for the 14 rhino horns he bought from them during the sting operation.

The combined operation came after it was reported last year that Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Le Dung, admitted that an employee at the Vietnamese Embassy in South Africa, Vu Moc Anh, suspected to have been involved in rhino horn smuggling, was returning home.

Dung affirmed the Foreign Ministry’s policy of strictly punishing any employee who traded and trafficked in wild animals.

Three years ago, Commercial Attaché Khanh Toan, at the Vietnamese Embassy in South Africa, was detected to have connections to rhino horn smuggling and was punished, according to the embassy.

The Herald last year also reported that rhino horn and ivory worth an estimated R850 000 had been stolen in a dramatic heist at the Addo Elephant National Park. Five armed men who hit the famous tourist destination also made off with five R1 assault rifles. - By EDDIE BOTHA, Investigations Editor

15-Mar-10 2:00 PM

Two Rhinos Poached in Rietvlei Nature Reserve

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:00:00 GMT

On Monday 8 March 2010 two female Rhinos were illegally killed on the Rietvlei Nature Reserve. This is part of the illegal Rhino horn trade currently running in South Africa.

From the evidence collected at the crime scene it is apparent that the perpetrators used a dart gun to kill the animals and that they were in a helicopter. The rhinos were overdosed with tranquilisers and killed. The poachers cut off the horns and left the crime scene by helicopter. The carcasses of the two animals were discovered by Nature Conservation staff of the City of Tshwane.

The case is currently being investigated by the Organised Crime Unit of the South African Police Force.

Very crucial evidence has been collected and leads are currently being followed up. It is further reported that visitors to the Nature Reserve as well as members of the public adjacent to the Nature Reserve saw suspicious vehicles and the helicopter involved.

As a precautionary measure the rest of the Rhino population on the Nature Reserve will be dehorned. Blood samples of the dead rhinos will be registered at Onderste Poort on the DNA data bank for further assistance to future possible investigations. A team of guards have been appointed to look after the animals.

The City of Tshwane humbly requests members of the public and all visitors to the Nature Reserve to report any suspicious incidents which can assist in the ongoing investigation as well as future illegal activities. A reward will be given to any person who can provide evidence that will lead to the arrest and successful prosecution of these criminals.

15-Mar-10 1:00 PM

Can Rhinos Cure Cancer?

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:00:00 GMT

Last June, a group of five men drove into South Africa's Addo National Park and held up the rangers' station at gunpoint.

They emerged with a small consignment of ivory and rhino horn worth an estimated 850,000 rand - about £75,000, or $114,000.

The rhino horn - which came from animals that had died naturally - was probably destined for Vietnam, where the popular folk tale about its capacity to boost powers in the bedroom has been augmented by a belief that it can cure cancer.

Last year, a Vietnamese diplomat was recalled to Hanoi after being filmed apparently buying rhino horn outside her embassy in Pretoria.

The Addo Park hold-up is perhaps the most striking event to date in what is, by all measures, an escalation in the illegal wildlife trade.

Put together a dwindling resource (in some important species, at any rate) with a growing demand and capacity to pay, and there is only one outcome.

It's a trend that has just been raised at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) meeting in Doha, Qatar, where UN agencies have warned again about the urgent plight of the tiger.

Across all sub-species, only about 3,200 remain in the wild. That is considerably fewer than exist in captivity - in the farms and breeding centres of East Asia, and in zoos across the world.

Forgive me if you've heard it before, but to me it is still a staggering statistic that if you were to pick a tiger on the face of the earth at random, the odds are that you would be picking one born and bred in captivity.

Wild tigers now exist mainly in small, fragmented populations - a pattern that promotes lack of genetic diversity and hence is often a step on the road to extinction.

Whereas some governments have stepped up to the plate, all the links in the chain that the wildlife gangsters need appear to be functioning well enough.

Tigers can be poached in India and transported through Nepal to China; rhinos can be shot in one African country, their horns shipped out from a second to an address in Thailand, Vietnam or China.

I had a chat with John Sellar, who heads CITES's enforcement operation.

"It's now four decades since we realised the tiger was in trouble," he noted.

"We've spent millions of dollars on it and we have failed miserably - I like to be optimistic but we have to ask ourselves whether we are really committed."

In south-east Asian countries, he said there was now evidence of a demand for tiger meat.

As a former policeman, he said he found the situation incredible.

Conservation organisations are routinely finding evidence of abuse, of poaching and illegal trading - and many police forces and customs authorities just aren't acting on it, as one presumes they would if the cargoes contained heroin or AK-47s.

As to the price of rhino horn in one of Hanoi's unlicensed (and ineffective) "cancer clinics", Mr Sellar would not be drawn, suggesting that the information could encourage further poaching.

The black rhino, by the way, is already listed as critically endangered.

Often we envisage the solution to environmental problems as being about laws and policies, or markets and incentives, or scientific research and public awareness.

Here is an equation far simpler.

Unless police and customs forces stop the gangsters involved in this business, there will be no more tigers and no more black rhinos in the wild: that's it.

15-Mar-10 9:00 AM

Animals stray from parched Pobitora - Dry spell leaves sanctuary thirsting for rain

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:00:00 GMT

Guwahati, March 15: In the sun-baked plains of Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, the vegetation is starting to wilt and the water bodies are drying up.

The parched earth — and inhabitants of the forest — are thirsting for a drop.

A prolonged dry spell is beginning to take a toll on the sanctuary which has the world’s heaviest density of rhino population. According to the last count in 2009, 84 rhinos were found in the 38.8 square km sanctuary.

“If there is no rain in the next few days we will be in serious trouble. It is a crisis situation,” divisional forest officer S.K. Seal Sharma said today.

He said all the major water bodies inside the sanctuary have dried up, forcing animals to stray out frequently in search of water.

Apart from the huge rhino population, Pobitora, located in Morigaon district, has Asiatic buffalo, wild bear, leopard and wild cats and a large number of migratory birds.

Unlike the three other rhino habitats in the state — Kaziranga, Orang and Manas —Pobitora animals depend on small beels for water, as no major river flows near it.

The sanctuary is surrounded by villages.

“It will be difficult for the animals if these large water bodies dry up entirely, but there are still three to four feet of water in a few large beels,” he said. Another forest official said once the animals, especially the rhinos, stray out of the park, they become easy prey for poachers. Consequently, vigil has been intensified in the park.

A study conducted by Aaranyak, an NGO working for the preservation and restoration of the environment, had identified three major tracks through which rhinos stray out of the wildlife sanctuary — Kholabhuyan-Sildubi-Bonmuri-Murakata-Duboritoli/Hatimu-ria-Gagoldubi-Patekibori, Tamolidova-Kanjuli-Bhekenipathar-Hiloikhunda-Kurua and Kumarpur-Borbeela-Digaru. These tracks have been marked using the global positioning system (GPS).

The official said if there was no rain in the next few days, water bodies will have to be filled artificially. “We hope that it will rain soon and the Herculean task of re-filling the water bodies will not have to be taken up,” he said.

15-Mar-10 9:00 AM

U.S. Dentist Helps Save African Rhinos from Extinction

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:00:00 GMT

here are only about 17,500 Southern White Rhinos remaining in the wild, and they are registered as "vulnerable", as reported by the International Rhino Foundation. This is not the exact rhino referenced in the story, but it is of the same type and general appearance. Courtesy: blog.sa-venues.com

(BUFFALO, N.Y.) - Last August, Dr. Leslie Glassbrenner, of Gentle Dentistry of East Aurora, PLLC travelled to South Africa on an Eco-Safari organized by the Earth Organization (earthorganization.org) to a wildlife game reserve called Thula Thula (which means ‘peace and tranquility’ in Zulu) and adopted a White Rhino to help save them from extinction. (thulathula.com)

In the wild, adult rhinoceroses have few natural predators other than humans. Rhinos are killed by poachers for their precious keratin-containing horns, which are used in expensive medicines, providing a sales market. Whereas the white rhino is the most abundant species of rhinos, they have been steadily on the decline for years, and are in danger of extinction in our lifetime.

While on safari, Lawrence Anthony, the owner of the game reserve, asked Dr. Glassbrenner if she would be interested in obtaining a baby white rhino to be a companion to Heidi, the only rhino left on the reserve.

Until Dr. Glassbrenner’s arrival, Heidi’s only companionship had been a group of wildebeests. Because of her firm commitment to helping animal life on planet earth, Dr. Glassbrenner agreed to bring Thabo, a baby rhino to the reserve. Tragically, shortly after Dr. Glassbrenner left, and before baby Thabo arrived, Heidi was killed by poachers wanting her horns. Two months after her death, Baby Thabo arrived at Thula Thula.

Relocated to Thula Thula on October 25, 2009, the 170kg youngster arrived after a fourteen hour trip from Limpopo. Thula Thula acquired the rhino from the Moholoholo Rehab Centre in Limpopo after the one-day old calf was found alone and badly dehydrated in a Free State game reserve.

Thula Thula game reserve will care for him until he is old enough to be released into the wild. “We do not believe in keeping captive animals”, said owner Lawrence Anthony, “For us, the only good cage is an empty cage, and this youngster is destined for a happy life in the wild.” To cut down on human interaction, get him used to his species and aid his release, the search began for a similar aged female rhino. The search was successful, and on December 22, 2009, baby rhino Ntombi arrived from Moholoholo Rehab Center in Limpopo. Ntombi was rescued in October 2009 by the Moholoholo Rehab Center after her mother got killed by another rhino in front of her.

White rhinos

There are only about 17,500 Southern White Rhinos remaining in the wild, and they are registered as "vulnerable", as reported by the International Rhino Foundation. However, the population of the second subspecies, the critically-endangered Northern White Rhinoceros, is down to as few as four individuals in the wild, and as of June 2008, this sub-species are thought to have become extinct in the wild.

While in Africa, Dr. Glassbrenner visited a local hospital and taught the children there how to brush their teeth and presented them all with toothbrushes.

Dr. Glassbrenner is planning another trip this summer to visit Thabo and to teach more children dental hygiene. She encourages anyone who is interested in saving the animals or helping the children of Africa to plan their trip to Thula Thula. “It will change your life and you will never be the same again,” Says Dr. Glassbrenner.

Dr. Glassbrenner is the owner and CEO of one of the fastest growing dental practices in Western New York, but that never deters her from helping others when she can.

Gentle Dentistry of East Aurora, NY

Gentle Dentistry is located at 215 Main St. East Aurora, NY 14052 and the newly opened Office is located at 5007 Transit Road, Depew, NY 14043. For more information call (716) 655-7080 or visit them at wearegentledentistry.com

Lawrence Anthony and Earth Organization

Lawrence Anthony received the prestigious Earth Day Award at the United Nations in March 2004 for his rescue of the animals at the Baghdad zoo.

In September 2004, he was invited to become the first South African Member of the esteemed "Explorers Club" of New York. Lawrence Anthony is the founder of the international "Earth Organization" dedicated to environmental issues.

Lawrence is the author of two books: Babylon's Ark, the incredible wartime rescue of the Baghdad Zoo, and his latest book, released in South Africa in August 2009, The Elephant Whisperer, the extraordinary story of one man's dedication to save his herd.

To learn more about Eco Safaris and how you can help, go to: earthorganization.org.

To see pictures of Thabo go to thulathula.com

14-Mar-10 2:00 PM

New Safari Lodge Feels the Heat Over Black Rhino

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 20:00:00 GMT

A new safari lodge in the Maasai Mara National Reserve is dogged by concerns that it will endanger the survival of the black rhino.

Conservationists opposed to the project have now taken the fight to the cyberspace.

A new report by wildlife authorities shows that the lodge that opened March 6 is located on a critical conservation area.

According to the report compiled by the acting chief game warden of the Mara Triangle Samson Parsime Lenjir, activities at the 30-bed Olkeju Ronkai Lodge will compromise conservation of the endangered black rhino.

The report says the open riverine ecosystem with wood vegetation and grasslands is an important habitat for the black rhino.

Statistics in Mr Lenjir’s report show rhino sightings in the area declined between January 2006 and December 2009. From 12 rhinos sighted in the area in February 2006, there were none by the end of 2009.

“According to data collected from the Kenya Rhino Programme Surveillance Patrol Log, the number of rhino individuals seen per month in the area where Olkeju Ronkai has been set up has not only dropped but disappeared altogether since construction of the lodge started in June 2008,” the report says.

Hassan ole Kamwaro the owner of the Olkeju Ronkai Lodge, blames the opposition to his venture on his political detractors and competitors in the tourism industry who, he says, are keen on seeing him close shop.

He singled out the owners of a big lodge in the Mara for blame, saying they had monopolised the lucrative tourism industry and are keen to stop new entrants from gaining a foothold in the market.

He further accused Kenya Tourism Federation (KTF), the umbrella body for tour operators, of being run by a clique that owns more than 30 lodges in the Mara.

These individuals, he said, should not run KTF and Kenya Tourist Board (KTB) due to conflict of interest as they have denied other investors, especially local people, fair play.

The former Transport Licensing Board boss accused the government of failing to deal with the allegedly illegal lodges and camps.

“We have obtained all the relevant licences as stipulated by the law,” Mr Kamwaro said, showing the licences he obtained from the ministries of Health, Environment and Fisheries, among others, to show that the lodge has met all requirements to operate.

“Out of 108 properties in the Maasai Mara, only 29 per cent have the necessary licences to operate. The rest are doing business illegally. The government should not apply double standards when it comes to matters of licensing and environment,” he said.

“Why is the government sitting on the inter-ministerial report on the Maasai Mara one year after the task force completed its work and handed it in?”

13-Mar-10 2:00 PM

Poachers Kill 14 Rhinos in 2009

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 19:00:00 GMT

GUWAHATI: Poachers have killed 14 rhinoceroses in the national parks and other forest areas of Assam in the year 2009.

Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain said Kaziranga National Park and Orang National Park lost six rhinoceroses each while one each was killed in Dibrugarh and Karbi Anglong divisions of the forest department.

The total strength of officers and staff in the Kaziranga National Park is 562 out of which 386 are frontline staff posted in 152 camps inside the Park, the minister said in a statement here today.

This strength has remained unchanged for the last 20 years though the area of the Park has been doubled and rhino population has increased from 1,069 to 2,201 during the period, he said.

The government has recently recruited new employees against vacant posts but it was not sufficient to protect the animals in the Park and efforts were on to hire more people, the minister said.

More than 170 armed home guards and 42 personnel of the Assam Forest Protection Force Battalion have already been deployed in the KNP to assist the staff in protection duty.

Another 200 frontline staff were being deputed to the Park from the neighbouring divisions to further strengthen protection measures while the process of raising a new Assam Forest Protection Force Battalion is under progress, the minister added.

13-Mar-10 1:00 PM

Three Held in Connection of Rhino Horn Smuggling

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 21:00:00 GMT

CHITWAN, March 12: Three people were held in connection to Rhino horn smuggling.

A mobile team of Chitwan National Park held them from the park, said chief Conservation Officer of the park Narendraman Babu Pradhan.

Similarly, an injured rhino came out of national park was vanished from Belhani-3 of Nawalparasi district, said Youth awareness campaign for controlling the poaching of wildlife.

According to a member of the campaign Chandra Gurung the rhino suddenly vanished from Tamaspur of Belhani VDC. He blamed that though they informed the park authorities to rescue it no efforts were made to rescue the injured rhino.

It is learnt that local youth have been searching the missing rhino.

12-Mar-10 3:00 PM

Japan's Crown Prince Visits Rhinos in Kenya

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:00:00 GMT

OL PEJETA CONSERVANCY, Kenya — Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito Friday visited endangered rhinos at a game reserve in Kenya's Rift Valley before planting a tree here with Nobel Prize laureate Wangari Maathai.

The prince, dressed in casual clothes and walking shoes, started the second day of his Kenya visit with an early morning game drive at the Ol Pejeta reserve, where impala, lions and warthogs abound.

He visited rhino enclosures in the park, feeding a blind Black rhino called Baraka ("blessing" in the Swahili language) and interacting with two female Northern White rhinos, Fatu and Najin, that were donated by a Czech zoo in December.

The prince took numerous photographs of the animals and at one point walked up to a small crowd of local people who had gathered to welcome him waving flags and greeted them with a few words of Swahili.

Maathai helped the prince plant a tree at Sweetwaters camp inside the conservancy, adding to the some 30 million trees that her Green Belt Movement has planted on the African continent since its creation in 1977.

His convoy, made up of a large number of Japanese vehicles, then headed to Mwea in central Kenya to visit an irrigation and agricultural development centre.

The prince, 50, arrived in Nairobi late Wednesday for a three-day trip that follows a visit to Ghana.

On Thursday he met with Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki, who hailed Japan's "continued financial and technical support" notably in programmes to combat climate change.

The prince then visited a Japanese school in the outskirts of Nairobi.

Prince Naruhito said his country appreciated collaboration with Kenya and would continue to partner it in various areas of development.

On Saturday the prince will visit the national museum in Nairobi and meet with members of the Japanese community in Nairobi before flying out of Kenya.

12-Mar-10 2:00 PM

Rare Rhino Pregnancy Gives Hope to Species

noemail@rhinos-irf.org — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Cincinnati/Los Angeles/Indonesia -- Conservationists across the world are celebrating a pregnancy in one of the world’s most endangered species, the Sumatran rhino. The pregnancy of female Ratu, born in Indonesia, and male Andalas, the first of only three Sumatran rhinos born in captivity in more than 112 years, is giving hope to international rhino biologists. The breeding occurred at Indonesia’s Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary in Way Kambas National Park after international efforts led to the pair’s introduction. The calf is expected to be born in May 2011. This is no ordinary pregnancy. Andalas and Ratu were brought together through international goodwill and cooperation in an effort to save this critically endangered species. Ratu wandered into a village just outside Sumatra’s Way Kambas National Park in 2006; Andalas was born at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden in 2001, grew up at the Los Angeles Zoo and was transferred from the L.A. Zoo to the Sumatran...

International Spotlight: Zimbabwe Rhino Poaching Court Case a Turning Point?

noemail@rhinos-irf.org — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 14:00:00 GMT

Zimbabwe– This month, Tichaona Mutyairi, a Zimbabwe rhino poacher with the infamous Mazhongwe gang, was sentenced to 17 years in jail after being captured during an exchange of gunfire with the police in October 2009. Although a regional court in the town of Masvingo took a strict stance, punishing the poacher to the full extent of Zimbabwe’s wildlife and firearm laws, this sentence remains a rare occurrence among captured poachers. International conservationists are watching the Mutyairi case given the highly varied outcomes in several court cases against members of rhino poaching gangs that have recently been finalized or are still underway. In previous court cases, many poachers have been released from jail escaping punishment instead of facing strong, consistent sentences that would deter them from hunting down Zimbabwe's remaining rhinos. “After so much conservation effort and funding has been ploughed into rhino protection in Zimbabwe, we look to the...

RHINOS: SPECIES ON THE BRINK

noemail@rhinos-irf.org — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 14:00:00 GMT

(HOUSTON) December 22, 2009 … The Houston Zoo’s 2010 Call of the Wild Speaker Series resumes January 28, 2010 with a very special guest – Dr. Susie Ellis, Executive Director of the International Rhino Foundation, the leading non-governmental organization for rhino conservation in the world. Rhinos have existed on earth for more than 50 million years. Today, from Africa to Indonesia, all but one of the world’s 5 surviving species of rhinos is on the verge of extinction. Join us on January 28 in the Houston Zoo’s Brown Education Center auditorium as Dr. Ellis weaves a fascinating story about a species on the brink with first hand accounts from the field of efforts to save these amazing creatures. Dr. Susie Ellis takes a hands on approach to rhino conservation. In fact, on January 22, just six days before her Call of the Wild Speaker Series presentation, Dr. Ellis will be returning from near two weeks of field work in Indonesia to protect the few...

RISE AND SHINE WITH THE RHINOS

noemail@rhinos-irf.org — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:00:00 GMT

Yulee, Fla -- Looking for the perfect holiday gift for those special someones who have everything and still want to save the world? How about a four-day, three-night safari with five of your favorite folks to experience some of the world’s most endangered species up close? And, you don’t even need to dust off your passport! For the second year, the International Rhino Foundation is offering a rare animal encounter for conservationists and animal lovers. In a special pre-holiday auction, the International Rhino Foundation will award the top bidder a one-of-a-kind “Rhino Rendezvous” for six people. The winning bidder will have a rare opportunity to spend four days and three nights at IRF’s headquarters at White Oak Conservation Center, just north of Jacksonville, Fla. “Rhino Rendezvous” includes ground transportation, meals, exceptional accommodations, recreational activities and access to a world-class conservation facility not open to the...

PROPOSED MOVE OF NORTHERN WHITE RHINOS FROM CAPTIVITY TO AFRICA

noemail@rhinos-irf.org — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 17:30:00 GMT

Dear Colleagues, Background Northern white rhinos (NWRs) formerly ranged over parts of north-western Uganda, southern Chad, south-western Sudan, the eastern part of Central African Republic, and north-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Devastated by poaching, only about 30 animals remained in DRC’s Garamba National Park by 1995. Garamba suffered from repeated incursions from the janjaweed militia and now the Lord’s Resistance Army. Manageable, containable subsistence poaching in the Park for bushmeat was replaced by full-scale poaching for rhino horn and elephant ivory. In 2005, a planned emergency translocation of five NWR from Garamba National Park to a sanctuary in Kenya became ensnared by political and local and national divisions and subsequently was cancelled. The only signs of possibly four NWRs were seen in August 2005, but the likelihood of any animals remaining now is improbable. In 2008, some of the world’s best rhino trackers were unable to confirm...

1,400 Square Feet of Carpet Meets 2,800 Pounds of Rhino

noemail@rhinos-irf.org — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:00:00 GMT

Yulee, FL; Birmingham, AL – The International Rhino Foundation has partnered with the Birmingham Zoo and Mohawk Industries in the ultimate test of carpet durability. Birmingham Zoo is set to install Mohawk’s SmartStrand® carpet in the indoor enclosure of Ricko, the Zoo’s eastern black rhino. The installation is part of a real-life demonstration of the campaign’s motto, If SmartStrand® can stand up to this wildlife, it can certainly stand up to your wildlife. We’re excited to partner with the Birmingham Zoo and Mohawk Industries for this unique event, said Dr. Susie Ellis, executive director of the International Rhino Foundation. This is a new and fun way to get our message out to the public while educating them on the serious issues facing rhinos in the wild. Beginning August 14, twelve-year old Ricko will live as usual in his enclosure—eating, sleeping, and doing everything that comes naturally to a 2,800-pound rhinoceros—yes, everything. Two webcams will catch all the...

EXPERTS SAY ZIMBABWE RHINO IN STATE OF CRISIS

noemail@rhinos-irf.org — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 17:00:00 GMT

Yulee, FL; Zimbabwe; London – Leading rhino conservation experts, The International Rhino Foundation (IRF) and Save the Rhino, today called the rhino poaching situation in Zimbabwe an immediate crisis with long-term consequences and called for concerted action by the government of Zimbabwe and international agencies that are mandated to tackle poaching of endangered species and to regulate trade in wildlife products. In a conference call held with reporters from across the globe, the IRF and Save the Rhino said continued inaction undermines the country’s economic recovery because rhino poaching is threatening one of the key economic pillars for Zimbabwe -- ecotourism. Zimbabwe’s economic crisis is serious, but now Zimbabwe is in danger of losing its biological currency – rhinos and other wildlife, said Dr. Susie Ellis, Executive Director of the IRF, which funds anti-poaching patrols in five countries. This high-value biological currency could be a key factor in turning...

Media Alert: EXPERTS SAY ZIMBABWE RHINO IN STATE OF CRISIS

noemail@rhinos-irf.org — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 21:00:00 GMT

Yulee, FL; Zimbabwe; London – The world’s leading rhino experts are issuing an immediate call to action to save the critically endangered black rhinos. A conference call with leaders on three continents will be held this week to discuss the crisis caused by a doubling of poaching incidents in Zimbabwe. On Thursday, leaders of the International Rhino Foundation (IRF) and Save the Rhino will hold a conference call with reporters to discuss the long-term consequences of continued inaction and to call on leaders to take action now. Ecotourism has long been one of the key economic pillars for Zimbabwe and poaching is threatening Zimbabwe’s biological currency – rhinos and other wildlife. Participating in the call will be Dr. Susie Ellis, Executive Director of the International Rhino Foundation, which funds anti-poaching patrols in five countries, Cathy Dean, Executive Director of Save the Rhino, the London-based organization which supports on-going rhino conservation through...

RHINOS IN FOCUS 2009

noemail@rhinos-irf.org — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 02:00:00 GMT

Yulee, Florida -- Rhinos have walked the Earth for more than 50 million years. Today, all but one of the world’s five rhino species face extinction within the next 10 to 50 years. To help raise awareness about rhinos and their plight, the International Rhino Foundation invites photography enthusiasts of all skill levels to enter RHINOS IN FOCUS, the 2009 IRF Photography Contest. Winners will be chosen from three categories and will receive prizes as well as recognition on the IRF website and in other publications. The GRAND PRIZE winning photo will be featured in IRF’s 2008 Annual Report. Participants are invited to enter a digital photo in one of three categories on Flickr (www.Flickr.com) between February 1, 2009 and February 28, 2009. 1. Rhinos in Zoos 2. Rhinos in the Wild 3. Express Your Inner Rhino (be creative!) IRF’s panel of judges will select 10 finalists from each category by March 14, 2009, and then the public gets to choose the winners! Vote...

Rise and Shine with the Rhinos

noemail@rhinos-irf.org — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:00:00 GMT

Yulee, Fla -- Looking for the perfect holiday gift for those special someones who have everything and still want to save the world? How about a four-day safari with five of your favorite folks to experience some of the world’s most endangered species up close? And, you don’t even need to dust off your passport! The International Rhino Foundation, which made international ‘bizarre holiday gift’ news last year by auctioning rhino poop on eBay, has toned it down this year, but beefed up the offerings: This year they’re offering a rare animal encounter for conservationists and animal lovers. In a special pre-holiday auction, the International Rhino Foundation will award the top bidder a one-of-a-kind Rhino Rendezvous for six people. The winning bidder will have a rare opportunity to spend four days at IRF’s headquarters at White Oak Conservation Center, just north of Jacksonville, Fla. Rhino Rendezvous includes ground transportation, meals, exceptional accommodations,...

Rhino Resource Center

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 22:02:11 GMT

The Rhino Resource Center is the world’s best source of information about rhino conservation, research, veterinary medicine, and husbandry worldwide. The Rhino Resource Center collects all known publications and maintains archives on all published work on rhinoceros. Search the Rhino Resource Center for everything you ever wanted to know about rhinos - information, photos, and links to other rhino websites!

Rhino Resource Center Newsletters:

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 02:07:27 GMT

Rare Rhino Pregnancy Gives Hope to Species Andalas-Ratu love story proves conservation efforts can work Get updates on Ratu's pregnancy here. Ratu Conservationists across the world are celebrating a pregnancy in one of the world’s most endangered species, the Sumatran rhino. The pregnancy of female Ratu, born in Indonesia, and male Andalas, the first of only three Sumatran rhinos born in captivity in more than 112 years, is giving hope to international rhino biologists. The breeding occurred at Indonesia’s Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary in Way Kambas National Park after international efforts led to the pair’s introduction. The calf is expected to be born in May 2011. This is no ordinary pregnancy. Andalas and Ratu were brought together through international goodwill and cooperation in an effort to save this critically endangered species. Ratu wandered into a village just outside Sumatra’s Way Kambas National Park in 2006; Andalas was born at...

Ratu's Pregnancy Updates

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 12:39:32 GMT

Conservationists across the world are celebrating a pregnancy in one of the world’s most endangered species, the Sumatran rhino. The pregnancy of female Ratu, born in Indonesia, and male Andalas, the first of only three Sumatran rhinos born in captivity in more than 112 years, is giving hope to international rhino biologists. The breeding occurred at Indonesia’s Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary in Way Kambas National Park after international efforts led to the pair’s introduction. The calf is expected to be born in May 2011.

February 17, 2010

First Ultrasound pictures!

SRS ultrasound on February 16, 2010

2009 Donors

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:02:51 GMT

We are honored to acknowledge the individuals, foundations, zoos, businesses and others who are helping to save endangered rhinos around the world by donating to IRF’s work. Defenders ($25,000 +) American Association of Zookeepers - Bowling for Rhinos Asian Rhino Project Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund Disney Worldwide Services Gilman International Conservation Foundation Peter Hall – Hunter Hall International Limited Houston Zoo JDD Holdings LLC Lee & Ramona Bass Foundation Mohamed Bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund SAVE Foundation Save the Rhino International Taronga Conservation Society Australia U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Zoo Basel Protectors ($10,000 - $24,999) Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens Diane A. Ledder Charitable Trust Fossil Rim Wildlife Center Drs. Stephen & Denise McDonough Natural Encounters Conservation Fund SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund Tapeats Fund The Ramona F. Bass Foundation World Wildlife...

Valentine's Day Gift Ideas

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 20:35:28 GMT

Flowers wilt, and that box of chocolates just could go straight to your hips! So do something different for your nearest and dearest this Valentine’s Day – “adopt” a Sumatran rhino for your loved ones, and give a gift that will last for years to come.

The Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary, a 250-acre complex located within Way Kambas National Park in Sumatra, Indonesia, is currently home to five rhinos that are part of an intensively managed research and breeding program aimed at increasing the Sumatran rhino population in the wild.

With a donation of only $30, you can feed and care for a rhino for 2 days; a $60 donation will pay for 4 days. Your donation also ensures veterinary care and upkeep of your rhino’s habitat, and might even help to result in the birth of a new rhino baby!

In honor of your adoption, your sweetheart will receive an adoption certificate and a photo and bio of his or her rhino, as well as regular updates on the rhino and IRF’s work to protect and conserve rhinos worldwide.

So spread the love this Valentine’s Day, and help to protect the critically endangered Sumatran rhino from extinction by adopting a rhino at the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary. Learn more about the rhinos available for adoption and adopt a rhino for a friend or loved one today!

(Please submit your adoption request by February 8 to ensure that you’ll receive the adoption package by Valentine’s Day.)

IRF Wish Lists

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 19:43:36 GMT

It’s that time of year again, and our rhino monitors, patrol units, vets and keepers have been working on their wish lists!

Our brave and passionate staff around the world work under unbelievably difficult conditions to protect endangered rhinos and their habitats. You can help them safeguard rhinos and other wildlife by “purchasing” one of the much needed items on our wish list – and you’ll make the holidays a lot brighter for rhinos and the people working to protect them.

Birth Announcements

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 15:41:34 GMT

January 2010 Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary had a third white rhino bull calf born on the evening of January 2, 2010. Mother Kori and calf are doing well. December 2009 BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo is pleased to announce the first rhino birth at the Zoo. Gemstone, a 21-year-old black rhino, gave birth to a calf late yesterday evening or early this morning. This important birth is the only black rhino born in North America and one of only 3 black rhino births in the past 12 months, worldwide. According to Sam Winslow, assistant director and general curator, mother and calf are doing well and will remain off exhibit while they bond. Gemstone is from the San Francisco Zoo and came to Baton Rouge in 2006. Her gestation period was16½ months. The Zoo’s male rhino, Tatu, came to Baton Rouge in 2003 from Texas. The Zoo has not named the baby rhino, but has determined that it is female. October 2009 Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary in Uganda announce the birth of their second calf...

Houston Zoo Lecture Media Kit

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 20:19:20 GMT

Download IRF Media Kit includes: IRF Executive Director, Susi Ellis' biography IRF Fact Sheet Rhino Fact Sheet covering all 5 species IRF Information Brochure Press Release - December 22, 2009 Photo Gallery: Click on the photos below to open a larger, higher resolution version.

Asian Rhino Specialist Group, IUCN Species Survival Commission

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:27:41 GMT

African and Asian rhinoceroses - Status, conservation and trade A recent report by the IUCN Species Survival Commission, African and Asian Rhino Specialist Groups and TRAFFIC warns that since 2006 there has been alarming increase in poaching and the illegal trade of rhino horn. Black, white and greater one-horned rhinos have shown population increases since 2006 but in Africa alone a minimum of 470 rhinos have been poached since January 2006. To read the full report click here. The Asian Rhino Specialist Group was formed within the Species Survival Commission (SSC) of International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) at its Bangkok meeting in 1979. Professor Ruedi Schenkel was the first AsRSG chair. He advocated strongly for preparation of Asian Rhino Conservation Plan for range countries. Since 1982, numerous meetings of the AsRSG have been held. The Asian Rhino Action Plan was published in 1989, edited by then-AsRSG chair Mohd Khan bin Momin Khan....

African Rhino Specialist Group, IUCN Species Survivial Commission

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:27:17 GMT

African and Asian rhinoceroses - Status, conservation and trade A recent report by the IUCN Species Survival Commission, African and Asian Rhino Specialist Groups and TRAFFIC warns that since 2006 there has been alarming increase in poaching and the illegal trade of rhino horn. Black, white and greater one-horned rhinos have shown population increases since 2006 but in Africa alone a minimum of 470 rhinos have been poached since January 2006. To read the full report click here. The African Rhino Specialist Group (AfRSG), like its counterpart in the Asian Rhino Specialist Group (AsRSG) is among the 100+ Specialist Groups in the Species Survival Commission (SSC) of IUCN - The World Conservation Union. Its mission is to promote the development and long term maintenance of viable populations of the various sub-species of African rhinos in the wild. Its membership consists of official country representatives from the main range states and a number of specialist members covering a...

E-Newsletter Online Survey

noemail@rhinos-irf.org — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 02:00:00 GMT

Objectives:

Release Date: 14-Oct-09 9:00 PM
Expiration Date: 30-Oct-10 9:00 AM
Please take a few moments to give us your feedback on our e-newsletter. The International Rhino Foundation wants to know how we can best keep you updated on our news. The survey will take approximately five to ten minutes to complete.

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noemail@rhinos-irf.org — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 14:51:57 GMT

Objectives:

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Duis autem dolor in hendrerit in vulputate velit esse molestie consequat, vel illum dolore eu feugiat nulla facilisis at vero eros et accumsan et iusto odio dignissim qui blandit praesent luptatum zzril delenit au gue duis dolore te feugat nulla facilisi.

Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci taion ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex en commodo consequat. Duis te feugifacilisi per suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex en commodo consequat.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diem nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut lacreet dolore magna aliguam erat volutpat.

Ut wisis enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci

Release Date: 31-Aug-07 9:51 AM
Expiration Date: 30-Nov-07 9:51 AM

Ut wisis enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci

Rhino Monitors in Chyulu Hills, Kenya

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:10:50 GMT

Rhino Monitors in Chyulu Hills, Kenya (photo, Richard Bonham)

Dr. Susie Ellis, Executive Director

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:10:50 GMT

Dr. Susie Ellis, Executive Director, with Harapan, Sumatran Rhino, Florida (photo, Kees Rookmaaker).

IRF Board of Directors and guest at the annual meeting in Florida

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:10:50 GMT

IRF Board of Directors and guest at the annual meeting in Florida (Top row L-R: Pat Condy, Don Farst, Lewis Greene, Matt Hohne, Bill Warren, Dee Steer, Evan Blumer, Mike Fouraker, Olivier Pagan, Robin Radcliffe, Cam Kerr, Mark Davis, John Lukas. Second row L-R: Rick Barongi, Diane Ledder, Patty Peters, Lee Bass, Kelly Williamson, Rick Oppenheim, April Salter. Third row L-R: Peter Hall, Amy Camacho, Kelly Russo, Raoul du Toit, Bibhab Talukdar. Front row L-R: James Hall, Laura Smith, Ann Petric, Maggie Moore, Dipankar Ghose, Susie Ellis, Cathy Dean, Widodo Ramono

IRF Executive Committee

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:10:50 GMT

IRF Executive Committee at its mid-year meeting in Texas (L-R: Rick Barongi, Don Farst, Lee Bass, Terri Roth, Susie Ellis, John Lukas)

Kelly Russo

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:10:50 GMT

Kelly Russo, webmaster and social networking advisor, Houston Zoo, with Sumatran Rhino at White Oak Conservation Center.

Rhino monitors, Orang National Park, India

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:10:50 GMT

Rhino monitors, Orang National Park, India (photo, WWF-India)

Rhino monitors on elephant back in Manas National Park, India

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:10:50 GMT

Rhino monitors on elephant back in Manas National Park, India (photo, WWF-India)

Inov, Sumadi Hasmaran (Facilities Manager), Yohadi, Rois and Dr. Andriansyah (Veterianian), Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary, Indonesia

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:10:50 GMT

Inov, Sumadi Hasmaran (Facilities Manager), Yohadi, Rois and Dr. Andriansyah (Veterianian), Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary, Indonesia (photo, C. Dean)

Dr. Dedi Candra

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:10:50 GMT

Dr. Dedi Candra, Head Veterinarian and Animal Collections Manager, Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary, Indonesia (photo, C. Dean)

Eduard Chuma, Laurence Ncube, and Chris Ndhlovu

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:10:50 GMT

Eduard Chuma, Laurence Ncube, and Chris Ndhlovu, Save Valley Conservancy Rhino Monitors, Zimbabwe (photo, R. Barongi)

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2007-08-31T14:51:57Z

Instructor: Instructor

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