Lodge Stories

Rhino Translocation

Arriving all the way from South Africa and aboard a Lockheed Hercules C130 aircraft were thirty-two eastern black rhinos in the biggest moves of this kind ever.

The translocation witnessed by Tanzanian President, His Excellency Jakaya Kikwete among other high ranking government, diplomatic and corporate officials was a culmination of conservation efforts between Tanzania and South Africa spearheaded by collaboration between the Tanzanian Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism (MNRT), Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA), South Africa National Parks (SANParks), Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS), Singita-Grumeti Reserves (SGR) and a private donor. The event was supported by Bilila Lodge Kempinski jointly with Safari Plus, the new luxury airline in Tanzania.

The eastern black rhino is the most endangered of the three subspecies with fewer than 700 remaining and less than 70 in Tanzania. This reintroduction will bolster the transnational Serengeti-Mara population, making it the largest free-ranging population of the eastern black rhino in the world. These rhinos have been maintained as an isolated population since being moved to South Africa more than 30 years ago as one of the measures to preserve the species in the face of the poaching epidemic that saw black rhino numbers decrease by more than 90% from 65,000 to near extinction.

Guests witnessed the spectacular arrival of the giant creatures, one of the kings of the jungle in the famous ‘Big Five’ category parked in special crates. The rhinos are moved five at a time in large military transport aircraft after spending 6 weeks in bomas getting used to their transport crates.

Receiving the special ‘guests’ were some 107 field rangers specially trained by TANAPA and FZS in patrol tactics, firearms handling and black rhino monitoring. The training of the officers was aimed at ensuring the security of the Rhinos and Park at large. For a couple of weeks, rhinos will be habituated to the new browse in the Serengeti before being released and monitored closely by TANAPA rangers and ecologists.

The return of these rhinos to the Serengeti ensures that Tanzania’s status as a conservation leader and premier wildlife destination is maintained.

Special thanks to Mrs. Anne Clarke, wife of the Ambassador of the European Union to Tanzania for the event photos.

A big thank you to all those who initiated, supported and participated in this unforgettable event!

… to be continued…