Translocated rhino killed on the Serengeti

A Black rhino, known as George, was killed by poachers on the Serengeti. Photo credit Emmanuel Dawson Kaaya

Poachers hacked of animal's horns
January 2011: Ten suspects have been arrested after an endangered black rhino was killed by poachers in Serengeti National Park. They are accused of being part of the group of poachers that shot the strictly protected animal because of its horns.

The 12-year-old rhino bull, known as George, was killed in mid-December and its horns were removed. The incident is not only a grave set back for the Serengeti Rhino Repatriation Project, one of the largest black rhino reintroduction projects, but also confirms that the poaching wave emanating from Southern Africa has reached Tanzania.

KILLED FOR HIS HORNS: George the black rhino in his Boma before he was released onto the Serengeti. Photo credit Frankfurt Zoological Society

Poachers could face up to 30 years in prison

The Chief Park Warden of the Serengeti, Mr Mtango Mtahiko stated that those arrested are being questioned, although the main suspect and owner of the gun is still a fugitive. A big operation is now under way to arrest him. If proved guilty, the accused will face sentences up to 30 years in prison.

Dr Markus Borner, the Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS) programme director for Africa who is stationed in the Serengeti is confident that ‘this will be an important wake up call for all wildlife agencies in the country; it is unthinkable that Serengeti would go through a similar development as South Africa, where organised crime syndicates have poached more than 200 rhinos this year.

‘Nonetheless, Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA), Ngorongoro and the Wildlife Division are preparing for such an onslaught.'

Rhino horn is highly sought after for use in traditional medicines in China and Vietnam, despite the fact that rhino horn has been proven to contain no medicinal properties.

Only about 70 black rhinos survive in Northern Tanzania
George was flown to Serengeti last May, along with four more black rhinos. The animals form part of large programme to reinforce the population of the northern black rhino, of which only about 70 survive in Northern Tanzania.

The Serengeti Rhino Repatriation Project (SRRP), is working to boost the small Serengeti rhino population by bringing an additional 32 rhinos to the ecosystem - an undertaking that all parties involved are aware is complex, risky and expensive.

Another Black rhino, a female called Luna, has  been moved to a safer area of the Serengeti  after George was killed. Photo credit Christof Schenck/FZS

‘We knew that this could happen despite all of our efforts to protect these animals,' says Dr Borner, ‘The Serengeti is not a zoo and these are wild animals, after all. The rangers are doing an excellent job trying to protect them, but there is never a 100 per cent guarantee for their survival.'

All introduced rhinos are equipped with a transmitter in their horns and usually once a day they are located from the air and consequently checked from the ground. These control flights are carried out by FZS with the light aircraft that is stationed in the park.

‘We will investigate the incident to see whether there was a lack of protection and whether we must increase our efforts to guard the rhinos. We will continue doing all that we can to prevent further losses,' adds Dr Borner.

The next translocation, originally planned for April, will be postponed until the security has been further tightened.