Endangered Species (including animals and plants, both)

According to earthsendangered.com, an education website about endangered species and efforts to save them, Zimbabwe has 15 mammals, 29 birds, 6 insects, 6 amphibians and 14 plants that are threatening extinction.

Although there is a considerable list of plants, animals and birds facing extinction, I wanted to draw the attention to one animal, the black rhinoceros, and the efforts being taken in Zimbabwe to protect this beautiful creature.

Black rhinoceros (rhino)

The black rhino is one of 2 species, both of which are on the endangered species lists, and 4 subspecies of rhino found in Africa (Glenn, 2006). The South-Central black rhino once was found in the Western and southern regions of Tanzania down through Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and eastern parts of South Africa. Today however, most black rhino can be found in North- Eastern South Africa, and to a lesser extent Zimbabwe and Swaziland.

For the past 50 years, there has been a 90% decrease in the rhino numbers due to a wave of illegal poaching for its horn. In the 1960s an estimated 70000 black rhinos were found in Africa, but by the 1980s only 15000 were left. In 2001 the population stood at 1,651 (Emslie, 2012). This has raised to about 2,200 in 2010, with 1,684 in South Africa, 431 in Zimbabwe and a few specimens in the other countries. Conservations have tried removing the horn to discourage poaching of rhinos, however the activity still continues.

The horn is in high demand on the black market, predominately in Asian countries, where it is worth over $20 000. Ivory from the horn is considers a symbol of wealth in many places and is a valuable source of medicine therefore making rhino protection very difficult.

Zimbabwe Lowveld Rhino Program

Zimbabwe is home to the world?s 4^th largest black rhino population after SA, Namibia and Kenya.

Between 2007 and 2009- nearly ? of the countries rhinos were slaughtered by organized gangs of poachers because of the demand for rhino horns in Asian markets. Following a huge poaching crisis in 2008 and the decline in the rhino populations in Zimbabwe, the Lowveld rhino program was formed (?Zimbabwe Lowveld Rhino Program?, n.d). It started with the relocation of more than 50 black rhinos from vulnerable areas to the Lowveld to be monitored and hopefully protected from poaching gangs. With improved security, the threats to the rhino?s lives and number are drastically reduced resulting in births outnumbering deaths.

What exactly does the day to day running of program include?

?        Constant evidence-based collection and support for training of anti-poaching groups

?        Darting, tracking and monitoring the rhino in the conservancies (on a monthly basis)

?        Treating rhinos with injuries suffered due to poaching or natural causes;

?        Rescue, rehabilitate and monitor baby rhinos who may have been orphaned because of poaching.

?        Returning injured or orphaned rhinos to the wild once ready

?        Translocating rhinos from problem areas to safer locations to reduce poaching

?        Creating partnerships with local communities to build rhino appreciation

?        Build support for rhino conservation through education and employment.

References list

Emslie, R. 2012. Diceros bicornis ssp. minor. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2012: e.T39321A16981557. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012.RLTS.T39321A16981557.en. Downloaded on 15 May 2018.

Glenn, C. R. 2006. ?Earth?s Endangered Creatures- Black Rhinoceros Facts? (Online). Accessed 5/13/2018 at http:easrthsendangered.com/profile.asp?sp=400&ID=1. 

Zimbabwe Lowveld Rhino Program. (n.d.). Retrieved May 12, 2018, from Inernational Rhino Foundation website: https://rhinos.org/where-we-work/zimbabwe-lowveld-rhino-program/i