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The Grumeti Community and
Wildlife Conservation Fund, under the leadership
of conservationist Brian Harris, is involved
in an ambitious rhino relocation initiative.
The East African black rhino sub-species (Diceros
bicornis michaeli) that live in the area were
in danger of becoming extinct through poaching
and various other factors.
Back in the 1960s, there were 1 200 of these
giant black mammals in the Serengeti ecosystem,
but poaching reduced this number to 42. Fortunately,
however, over the years this number has increased
and today there are 84 black rhinos gracing
the landscape. |
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Singita
Grumeti Reserves has managed to acquire 50 rhinos
from South Africa and will, in a joint effort with
TANAPA (Tanzania National Parks) and The Frankfurt
Zoological Society, be translocating them to the
Serengeti over the next few years. This is the biggest
single re-location of black rhino in history and
this exciting initiative could not have been carried
out if it was not for Singita Grumeti Reserves,
who have provided the majority of the funding.
In order to ensure the success of the rhino relocation
project, a number of important milestones had to
be reached in the early stages. The first requirement
was to tackle the poaching scourge, addressed over
the past three years by the formation of a formidable
anti-poaching unit, set up by the Grumeti Fund.
Interestingly, the unit comprises mainly reformed
poachers who went through extensive training in
conservation and were issued with the best equipment
available. Their presence and efforts resulted in
poaching being almost completely eradicated from
the area. The Grumeti Fund also focused on job creation
for local community members at our lodges and the
need to hunt for a living has been replaced by more
sustainable alternatives.
The next step was to garner support from the regional
and national government, made possible once the
politicians understood the greater vision for the
Grumeti Reserves region.
The third major task was to set up an extensive
wildlife monitoring programme and the dedicated
team at Singita Grumeti Reserves has been instrumental
in setting up the necessary measures. Success is
evident in the census figures that reveal great
increases in the number of wildlife species in the
area. For example, in 2003 there were 605 buffalo,
which escalated to 3 124 in 2007; the Tomson’s
Gazelle population has mushroomed from 3 480 to
12 162; and Eland have increased in number from
254 to 1 211 for the same period.
With all three major objectives having been achieved
over the past three years, Singita Grumeti Reserves
is now in a strong position to fulfil the dream
of the proposed rhino relocation which is a significant
programme, as the livelihood of the local communities
is closely linked to the success of conservation
in the region. |
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