 Reference Base  Observations on two introduced black rhinos in Liwonde Na... |
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Bhima, R.; Dudley, C.O., 1996. Observations on two introduced black rhinos in Liwonde National Park, Malawi. Pachyderm 21: 46-54, figs. 1-3, tables 1-2
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| Location: |
Africa - Southern Africa - Malawi |
| Subject: |
Distribution - Records |
| Species: |
Black Rhino |
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reintroduction from Kruger NP. Two black rhinos (Diceros bicornis minor) from Kruger National Park, South Africa, were introduced to Liwonde National Park in Malawi on 27 October 1993. The introduced rhinos are a male and a female, each about five or six years old at the time of translocation. When they were captured in Kruger, they were kept in bomas, before being brought to Liwonde, where they were again kept in bomas for one-and-a-half months. They were released into a 1,500ha sanctuary with an electrified game fence. They will remain in the sanctuary until their security can be assured in the area of the Park.
The rhinos were released from the bomas in Liwonde on 21 and 22 December 1993. After an initial period of being solitary, they were first seen together on 16 January 1994 and have remained together ever since. Their movements are illustrated in Figure 3, and can be described as follows:
January- March (after release from the bomas)
They walked frequently up and down the sides of the Ntangai River and its two major tributaries. They were often seen resting in the southern section near the bomas. Their range averaged approximately 4 kmy.
April- June
They were always seen together. Their activities were concentrated in the south-east and sometimes in the central area of the sanctuary. Their movements up and down the river banks continued and their range averaged at 3.5-4 kmy.
July- September
At the end of July all the natural water pools dried up. The rhinos moved in the same general pattern as in the previous three months. There were no signs of the rhinos drinking at the artificial water hole throughout this period. They knocked down and fed on Euphorbia ingens in the western area of the sanctuary.
October-December
Most of the rhinos' activity was concentrated along the Ntangai River. They were seen occasionally in the south and north of the sanctuary. They continued to knock down large numbers of E. ingens.
Discussion
While the two rhinos in Liwonde were able to survive comfortably throughout the long dry season, presumably due to feeding on succulent plants, this does pose a problem for any future rhino introductions into the sanctuary. Artificial water holes will be needed if the succulent plants become too few.
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