 Reference Base  Black and white rhino introduction in North-West Zimbabwe |
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| Location: |
Africa - Southern Africa - Zimbabwe |
| Subject: |
Distribution - Records |
| Species: |
Black Rhino |
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Diceros bicornis. Between August and October 1975 black rhino were captured in the Siabuwa area south of Lake Kariba where they were coming under increasing pressure from an expanding human population. Four adult males and two adult females, one with a male calf, were released directly from translocation crates at Saminungu in the Zambezi National Park (Figure 1). Upon release the rhino scattered and by November sightings had been reported from up to 16 km east and 14 km south west of Saminungu. The male calf became separated from its mother and was eventually taken by lions at Saminungu 13 days after release.
Black rhino sightings since the introduction have been very infrequent due to their shy habits and preference for thick bush, but reports indicate that the rhino have settled in thick Kalahari sandveld woodland and Acacia belts in the north of the Matetsi Safari Area and west of Zambezi National Park. In 1979 one adult male was found dead; the cause of death was possibly due to collision with a military vehicle. In 1980 a cow and calf were seen on two occasions and in 1981 a bull, cow and calf were seen regularly. Of the original introduction three adult males and two adult females seem to have survived. At least one of the females has calved.
In addition to those introduced in the north, four black rhino have been seen during the last two years, in the south-east of Matetsi. It seems likely that these sightings were of rhino which migrated from the Deka Safari Area and possibly reflect an expanding population of black rhino in this area and in Hwange National Park.
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