February
2013. In the first ever private game reserve donation of rhino, luxury travel
company &Beyond has earmarked six white rhino to be translocated from
Phinda Private Game Reserve in South Africa to Botswana's Okavango Delta.
Facilitated in partnership with Rhino Force, this conservation coup has been
generously funded by lead sponsor, Motorite Administrators.
Rhino
poaching surge
"South Africa lost well over 600 rhino to illegal poaching last year alone and Botswana currently has an excellent security system to protect the species. Translocations are fundamental to secure the ongoing survival of rhino for future generations," says Les Carlisle, &Beyond Conservation Manager.
"South Africa lost well over 600 rhino to illegal poaching last year alone and Botswana currently has an excellent security system to protect the species. Translocations are fundamental to secure the ongoing survival of rhino for future generations," says Les Carlisle, &Beyond Conservation Manager.
The
Okavango Delta has proven to be a successful rhino relocation habitat and
Botswana has a strong security and monitoring framework in place whereby the
military helps to protect the species. "It's the ideal opportunity for us
to move our eggs out of one basket," explains Carlisle. "The project
has the full support of the Botswana Rhino Management Committee and we are
thrilled to be driving such a vital initiative for rhino conservation in
partnership with Motorite."
As
one of southern Africa's largest independent motor-related insurance
administrators, Motorite supports this translocation to ensure the ongoing
conservation of South Africa and Botswana's natural heritage.
After
years of negotiation and planning, the translocation process will begin this
month. Game scouts from Botswana will undergo intensive tracking and monitoring
training at &Beyond Phinda, as they learn about white rhino behaviour in
the Delta. Capture and release bomas have been built in South Africa and
Botswana respectively, permits obtained and various conservation initiatives
set in place to ensure that the six carefully selected rhino arrive at their
destination safely.
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