Black Rhino Reintroduction

To breed and reintroduce black rhinos into their former range in Tanzania

The black rhinoceros, Diceros bicornis, is typical of the bushy African savanna south of the Sahara. In the second half of the 20th century its numbers started to rapidly decline especially as a consequence of uncontrolled hunting and poaching. Rhino horn became the most valuable and most expensive trophy.

The eastern black rhinoceros, Diceros bicornis michaeli, is currently exterminated from most of its former range. Overall, just 700 animals are left in the whole of Eastern Africa. In Tanzania, formerly a stronghold of the subspecies, only a few dozens are left, split into several isolated subpopulations. These include Mkomazi, Tanzania’s first rhino sanctuary with an area of 3,270 km² and a population of 8 rhinos, and Grumeti, a reserve of 1500 km² with just two rhinos.

On the other hand, there is a healthy zoo population of some 170 eastern black rhinoceros, mainly in Europe, which allows for reintroductions of zoo-bred animals. Zoo Dvur Kralove is one of the best breeders of eastern black rhinoceros in the world and that is why the Zoo is looking for ways to help restore population of this species in situ.

The aim of the project is to reinforce the populations of eastern black rhinoceros in the area of Mkomazi Game Reserve and Grumeti Reserves, Tanzania, and possibly in other areas of Easter Africa with zoo-bred animals.

The reintroduction of rhinos into the two areas will be performed in two phases:

1. Placing the rhinos from Zoo Dvur Kralove into heavily guarded, relatively small and fenced areas allowing them to slowly adapt to the environment, carrying out vaccination, etc.
2. The adapted animals will be released into larger, but still guarded environments where they will join other individuals and will be able to breed with them.

Zoo Dvur Kralove is long-term and successful breeder of eastern black rhinoceros. The first eastern black rhinoceros were imported to Zoo Dvur Kralove in the years 1971 - 1974 from Kenya. The first calf was born on 2.10.1977 and so far there 33 (13,20) individuals were born. Dvur Kralove is the first Zoo to have reproduced black rhinos already in the fifth generation. In march 2008, they were keeping 14 individuals, e.g. the second biggest group in the world.

In 2007, representatives of the Zoo visited several locations in Tanzania for which reintroduction programmes are foreseen and discussed the topic of reintroduction and rescue of black rhinos with top experts for saving this species. Transfers back to Africa should take place from 2008 on. Animals will be selected that are genetically well represented in the EEP, but which are completely unrelated to the animals in Mkomazi Game Reserve, where individuals from the extralimital population in South Africa have been released. It is also intended to monitor the animal’s future and to conduct research especially in the field of nutrition.

WAZA Conservation Project 08013 is implemented by the Zoo Dvur Králové (Czech Republic) and Wild Animal Parks Port Lympne/Howletts (UK), in collaboration with WAZA affiliate Member Back to Africa and the support of the Union of Czech and Slovak Zoo.