Tanzania

Tanzania’s spectacular 484,800 km² Selous Game Reserve (SGR) is a World Heritage Site (inscribed in 1982) and the second largest wildlife reserve in the world. It conserves an ecosystem of high biodiversity including one of the world’s largest populations of elephants, buffalo, hippo, crocodile and wild dog. The black rhino population of this reserve once numbered ~3,000 individuals but was reduced to near extinction by a multi-country poaching episode in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Black rhinos were thought to be extinct in the Selous – then in 1990, rhino tracks were detected. Following this discovery, the first priority was to find out how many black rhinos were left, their status, and to monitor them and develop protection. The Selous Rhino Trust, which now undertakes this work, has been very successful so far and has established that viable populations of black rhinos do indeed exist in the Selous. The aims of the Selous Rhino Project, run by the Selous Rhino Trust and in partnership with the Tanzania Wildlife Department, are to seek, survey and monitor rhinos in the Selous to find out minimum numbers, distribution and status and to improve and contribute to assuring their long term security.

Pre-deployment briefing of anti-poaching teams with location of poachers sighted by air.

One of a group of three elephants shot for tusks. Photo: Fraser Smith

Poachers flee their camp.

IRF supports the Selous Rhino Project as part of the Conservation Action Trust, along with Nomad Tanzania, the Tanzania Wildlife Division, Tusk Trust, Save the Rhino International and Gilman International Conservation. The project also has been supported by a generous grant form the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Rhino and Tiger Conservation Fund.

The project’s first 6 years were successful in

building up a team of rhino rangers, accumulating evidence and developing monitoring that indicated a minimum of 19 rhinos north of the Rufiji River and identifying four different rhino core zones in the southern hunting sector. Signs of at least another 20 have been found in limited surveys south of the river. A team of 12 rangers has been trained in rhino monitoring techniques and carries out regular patrols maintaining the monitoring and reporting on signs of threats and carrying out basic anti-poaching activities. In spite of these activities, poaching continues – thus, increased protection is essential, for rhinos as well as other species such as elephants.

IRF and Conservation Action Trust partners have provided the SRT with use of a Super Cub aircraft, which has enabled SRT to significantly increase rhino sightings and begin building up a photographic identification system linked with footprint measures and home ranges. Most importantly, the ability to use aerial monitoring has improved the protection of the rhinos and their ecosystem, facilitating the anti-poaching activities by detecting poaching and allowing rangers to be directed into the bush to combat it.

Use of the aircraft has led to discovering and helping combat several incidents of poaching, mainly of elephants and hippos, and often in or near rhino home ranges. Observations are reported to the sector warden and active signs of illegal activities have been followed up by several successful air—to-ground operations. For example, in once incident, a poacher’s canoe was spotted from the air and early the next morning rangers moved into the area by boat and were guided through the myriad of channels by the aircraft circling above. Four canoes were located from the air and despite the poachers submerging them, in an attempt to escape detection, radio contact with the rangers below enabled the recovery of all four canoes and the poachers equipment.

IRF needs your help to continue this important work in Tanzania. Visit our donate page to learn more about how you can help us protect black rhinos and other endangered species.

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