Operation Rhino Protection in action
AFTER coming close to losing a male white rhino in a poaching attempt last year, a private Zululand game reserve recently dehorned the beast to protect him from future harm.
While the reserve on which the three-year-old Bingo lives cannot be named for the protection of the rhino, the successful operation involved many role players from within the conservation industry.
Sponsored by TWK Agri, the dehorning operation of Bingo and one other male rhino was carried out by veterinarian Dr Trevor Viljoen from Mtubatuba, Etienne Gerber who piloted the chopper from which the rhinos were darted, and Bhejane Nature Training, based in Hluhluwe.
Since Covid, and owing to general unemployment in the region, poaching has escalated dramatically in Zululand.
“As a result, we have had to immediately dehorn, to try and protect the rhinos,” said a representative of the game reserve.
“While dehorning is not first choice for the rhino, it is a temporary measure to save their lives.
“Nobody wants to visit a rhino reserve and not see rhino. A tourist taking a photo of a rhino without a horn is so much better than no rhino at all.”
The reserve employs many strategies to protect its rhino, including drones, thermal imaging and anti-poaching staff on 24-hour call.
“It’s hugely expensive for a private reserve to incur such costs, so through our conservation foundation, we have tried to secure funding to assist us.”
By all accounts, it took a huge team to safely sedate Bingo for the dehorning, but the operation was a success and role players can rest easy that he is no longer a poaching target.