By Lesedi Sibiya-Diplomatic Insider
10 critically endangered black rhinos have been relocated from South Africa to Mozambique at the Zinave National Park in order to safely preserve this population of black rhinos that were thought to be extinct fifty years ago. Five male and five female rhinos were successfully donated by South Africa’s provincial conservation entity, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, alongside the National Administration For Conservation Areas (ANAC) which is based in Mozambique and Peace Parks Foundation. Financial support was given by the UK People’s Postcode Lottery. The initiative intends to enhance biodiversity as Zinave National Park aims to re-establish itself as Mozambique’s sole big five national park.
Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife was approached by the Peace Parks Foundation for a donation of black rhinos in order to provide a viable and sustainable breeding population of black rhinos in Mozambique. Ithala Game Reserve had come to an agreement to settle on donating the 10 rhinos in tandem with the Ezemvelo’s three Black Rhino Range Expansion Project. Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park is where the rhino’s were initially relocated and they were placed in holding facilities aimed at preparing the rhinos for their 48-hour trip to Zinave. The South African Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George released a statement; “This is a significant conservation success. We congratulate the government of Mozambique and its co-management partner, Peace Parks Foundation, on achieving this important milestone. Establishing new founder populations is one of many critical interventions to secure the future of these species.” said Dr Dion. “South Africa’s successes in rhino conservation and the implementation of anti-poaching and anti-trafficking efforts have stabilized it’s rhino populations, thereby placing the country in a position as a source of rhino for range States in Africa which have either lost many or all of their rhino and wish to re-establish populations or augment current populations, as this is the case with translocation. The export and import of these valuable black rhinos have been done in compliance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora’s legislation of both countries” Minister George added.
Pejul Calenga, the Director General of ANAC, who is the authority responsible for overseeing conservation areas in Mozambique, had expressed gratitude to cooperation of the South African government and the relevant partners for their collaboration in making this relocation possible; “For the year 2025, this will be the first translocation of rhinos to our country, and we are pleased with this process. We thank the South Africans and all partners involved. We would like to take this opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to protecting Mozambique’s conservation, as well as tourists, to visit our country.” said the Director General. In order to ensure the successful translocation of these rhinos the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Management Inspectors (EMIs), alongside the Border Management Authority (BMA), played a vital role with the loading and endorsing the CITES permits at the ports of exit. The EMIs ensure that all the allocated microchip numbers, as prescribed in the CITES permits, correspond with those inserted in the live rhino.
The first rhinos had undergone a successful translocation process from South Africa to Zinave National Park back in 2022, which was the longest road transfer of rhinos ever undertaken. This initiative was the building blocks of a cooperative partnership between Mozambique’s National Administration for Conservation Areas and Peace Parks Foundation that aimed to expand the efforts made by Mozambique to rebuild founder white and black rhino populations and to reintroduce the rhinos to the country. In 2023 Peace Parks received a funding award of 800,000 euros which was raised by the UK People’s Postcode Lottery.