Rhinos Migrate: 20 Black Rhinos Find New Home in Botswana

Twenty black rhinos were successfully moved from South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province to Botswana in early September. This critical cross-border conservation operation involved two extensive 36-hour road trips. The rhinos have been released into a remote and secure location designed for breeding and population establishment.

The translocation has doubled Botswana's black rhino population, a species severely impacted by poaching, especially in the Okavango Delta. Prior to this operation, fewer than 25 black rhinos were estimated to remain in the country. The World Wildlife Fund's Black Rhino Range Expansion Program (BRREP) orchestrated this complex move, with the rhinos captured in June and quarantined before their journey.

This marks BRREP's second international translocation, following a similar initiative to Malawi in 2019. Since 2003, the program has relocated rhinos to suitable areas of 20,000 hectares or more to foster population growth. Jeff Cooke, BRREP leader, highlighted the increasing difficulty of finding adequate space within national borders, necessitating cross-border expansions.

These translocated populations are vital for the broader continental species recovery program and can support future range expansion. WWF South Africa expressed gratitude to the governments of South Africa and Botswana, along with various conservation partners and site owners, underscoring the success of collaborative conservation efforts in aiding black rhino recovery.