Tracking Black Rhinos in Namibia Safari

This three-night safari is run for private groups and offers brilliant insight into the wildlife and rugged habitat of Namibia's Damaraland region while contributing directly to a worthy conservation cause. Guests travel into the wilds of Damaraland with the Rhino Camp team and their superb trackers.

Guests will camp out in a remote part of the massive 450,000 hectare Palmwag conservancy, enjoying the desert scenery and its wildlife. Gemsbok, Springbok, Ostrich, Hartmann's Mountain Zebra, and the rare desert Elephant are all found in this area.  The highlight of this safari however, is tracking the Black Rhinos.

SAVE THE RHINO TRUST (SRT)                        Jump to Palmwag Rhino Camp
The desert adapted black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis bicornis) surviving in the Kunene Region (former Damaraland and Kaokoland) in the arid north-west of Namibia are the only Rhino world-wide, that have survived on communal land with no formal conservation status. In the early 1980's in this vast, strangely beautiful and spectacular desert scenery, a savage slaughter of desert wildlife was taking place. As the Rhino numbers shrank to near extinction, a group of concerned people (scientists; geologists; community leaders; nature conservation officials; farmers; journalists; housewives and businessmen) gathered together to form a Trust fund.

The aim of this Trust was to stop the horrendous slaughter of Rhino, Elephant and other wildlife, which was taking place in the desert. Military staff of the SADF and white government officials, who paid subsistence farmers to hunt the rhino living high in the mountains where they were not easily shot from vehicle or helicopter, was perpetrating the killing. Within a few years of determination and hard work and with the help of international funds the Save the Rhino Trust was born, officially recognized and registered as Charitable Organization number 53. Since the founding of the Save the Rhino Trust 20 years ago, poaching has drastically declined and the Rhino population has more than doubled. Initially convicted poachers were employed by the Save the Rhino Trust (as they had extensive knowledge of the habits of Rhino). The aim to stop the extermination of the endangered Black Rhino from the communal land has been enthusiastically supported by the Chiefs and headmen as well as the neighbouring farming community.

Ever since the Trust was formed, collaboration with Government and the local community has been achieved, with the aim to provide security for the rhino, to monitor the Rhino population in the region, and to bring benefit to the community through conservation and tourism.

SRT LOGO

An ancient rock engraving from the rhino area is the appropriate logo for the SRT. The engraving is part of a wildlife mural engraved into the sandstone rock at Twyfelfontein hundreds of years ago. This logo is a fitting symbol of the symbiotic relationship between man and wildlife and is familiar to the local people. The logo engenders a feeling of pride for their achievement in saving the rhino from extinction from their communal land.

TRUST
SRT is managed as a charitable trust with 5 Namibian Trustees taking the management decisions.
At present the following staff is employed:
CEO: Rudi Loutit
Director of Fieldwork: Bernd Brell
Director of Research: Simson Uri-khob
Financial Manager: Erica Brell
A craft center manager in Swakopmund; two project managers; three drivers/team leaders; and 34 trackers/ camp staff. Less then 10% of the staff are based in towns/ offices, while the rest remain field-based. At present all except three staff are Namibians. The majority of staff are from the areas neighbouring the rhino range within the Kunene region. Amongst the employees are several rural women. Many more community members are benefiting indirectly from the work done by SRT, through the Trusts promoting income from craft sales and tourism.

Rudi Loutit Rudi Loutit has an economics degree. Has worked for several different Namibian government organizations in Wildlife Conservation since 1974. He was a ranger in Etosha National Park, Namibia for two years, then worked on a hunting ranch in the Swakop valley for eight months but found that hunters show little respect for the wildlife they shoot, so he returned to work for the government. He was the warden of the Skeleton Coast National Park and later Chief Warden for Damaraland and Skeleton Coast. In 1998 Rudi decided to work towards earning an Msc., (in progress) and studied in Australia on arid area management at the Gatton University – University of Brisbane. On his return he was appointed Rhino Co-ordinator for the Namibian Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET). He represents Namibia at the IUCN’s Species Survival Commission in the African Rhino Specialist Group. Rudi has now been appointed the Namibian Specialist in charge of the Custodianship Rhino project and oversees training, management and data analysis.

RHINO PATROLS
Local game guards work in five groups, each regularly patrolling a specified area within the 25,000 square kilometres rhino range. All fresh rhino tracks are picked up during such patrols by vehicle, foot and camel and followed on foot until the rhino is sighted. Rhino are observed at close range using binoculars to note any distinguishing marks and assess body condition. All observations are recorded on detailed ID forms. Good quality ID photographs (front, side and rear view) are taken, and the exact position of each rhino is recorded using a GPS. All this information is fed into a coded computer database and analyzed. Apart from the regular monitoring work a complete photographic census of all the rhino in the area was completed in 1992 in conjunction with the Ministry of Wildlife, Conservation and Tourism. Such a census was repeated in 1997/98, again in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Tourism and with assistance from IRDNC field staff. During this census all information on the rhino, track logs of the patrolling routes as well as accurate locations of all springs and waterhole's have been recorded. This data has been compiled into a report, which includes GIS presentation of the information gained.

SRT's monitoring data is provided to the MET (who remain responsible for the conservation of all wildlife in Namibia) and also made available to the African Rhino Specialist Group and the Rhino Management Group of Southern Africa through MET's representative on these conservation bodies. Over the years the tracking teams have photographed and identified every rhino in the 25,000 square kilometres, every new calf born is recorded, as are all mortalities. This monitoring effort needs to be maintained, as the rhino population grows and rhino change appearance over a time period. In the past in 1989 and 1991, when the threat of poaching in this region drastically increased, rhino were dehorned in the Kunene region. The poaching has declined since.

Other proactive security work is done in collaboration with the MET and the Protected Resources Unit (PRU) of the Namibian Police. For example a Rhino and Elephant Security Action Plan for Namibia has been drafted by this Specialist Police Unit, in collaboration with the rhino co-ordinator of the MET, Save the Rhino Trust and private landowners involved in rhino conservation. To facilitate a quick response in case of emergency, the SRT has direct radio contact with the PRU and key officials in the MET. The plan makes provision for aircraft and helicopters to be mobilized if such a need arises. Recently a Cessna 172 was donated by the Deutsch Namibische Gesellschaft for the rhino monitoring and security in the Kunene region.

COMMUNITY
The SRT has established one of the first Community Based Species Survival (CBSS) Projects for the rhino in Africa, with direct community involvement in the conservation of rhino, and benefits received through conservation and tourism going to the local population. The SRT has build an "indaba" centre near Palmwag at the Mai Go Ha base camp for community leaders to come and discuss conservation matters with their colleagues. Meetings with headmen and community groups on conservation matters are becoming increasingly important to ensure a future for the desert wildlife. Other forms of community involvement run by the SRT in conjunction with the government and traditional leaders involve: planning wildlife conservancies to be managed by the community; information and awareness programmes including travelling TV shows; visiting the neighbouring farms and villages; showing conservation videos at schools; and developing projects specially designed to involve women in self help income generating projects.

CRAFT AND INFORMATION CENTERS
SRT has been involved in setting up several craft-centres, to sell locally produced crafts. The craft centres provide training, work opportunities and income for rural communities especially also for woman. In Khorixas a crafts workshop and conservation information centre at the Crafts for Conservation Centre offers the local unemployed a means to earn an income from the estimated 40,000 tourists passing through this town annually. The office of SRT with a Crafts for Conservation and Information Centre is situated in Swakopmund. This centre provides a workshop for doing leatherwork, African style embroidery, recycle paper, candle making and many other income generating projects. Additionally courtesy stops have been introduced where information is provided to tourists, curios are sold, donations for local communities can be received and some control of access to the sensitive areas and the rhino and elephant range can be exercised.

TOURISM
Several tourism ventures in the Kunene region have been supported by SRT for the benefit of the community. For example a joint venture between SRT and Palmwag offer specialist Bicornis Safaris. These luxury safaris start at the SRT base near Palmwag Safari Lodge, the first night is spent in the comfort of the Lodge and the following three days are spent on a four-wheel drive vehicle looking for rhino. Palmwag's competent staff provides meals and comfortable tents under the stars in the silence of the desert.

THE SRT TRAINING CENTER
Rhino still inhabit the foothills of the spectacular Duareb mountain massive. In this area, on the shady banks of the Ugab river Save The Rhino Trust has developed a training centre. SRT's Training Camp is a basic facility designed to provide training in eco-tourism to rural people who have minimal scholastic qualifications. Local inhabitants and visiting groups are taught how to present and conduct walking trails in rhino and elephant country. Additionally, a small tourist camp has been constructed. Much of the camp is constructed with the use of the ruins and debris left by the Brandberg West mine that closed down in the late 1980's. Tourists may join a rhino patrol with a registered Safari Company and the SRT trackers.

THE COMMUNITY CAMEL PATROLS
Further north, at the village of Kowareb, we have pioneered a community based camel patrol project. The camel programme was introduced due to the very rugged terrain in which some of the rhino live. It is too difficult to get into the mountains to monitor the rhino by vehicle and too far away from water to walk with donkeys. Older local herdsmen remember the days, when German soldiers were using camels to patrol the mountains. When Benedict Allen came up the desert with his three camels, it was an ideal opportunity to obtain some camels to try out the idea. Jeanita Schoeman of Skeleton Coast Safaris to the SRT donated the three camels used by Benedict Allen. Another three untrained camels have since been bought, one of which has died from Anthrax infection. The interest from the community has been amazing and there is great pride in being able to work with the camels. A request has been made for more camels to be introduced to the area to replace donkeys.

The camel patrols visit all the outlying settlements and stay a few days with the herders, finding out any news about rhino. Any rhino tracks are followed and the rhino are identified. The pride shown in the success of protecting the rhino is very evident, the Damara and Herero people of Khowarib are equally interested and supportive of the rhino monitoring and camel patrol project. SRT aims to help communities to be able to take on more and more of the responsibilities of conserving and monitoring the desert rhino and elephant. The camel project employs 10 community based game guards who live with their families.

A training programme has been initiated with the aim of increasing the game guard's abilities to handle rhino tours, on camel back, vehicle or on foot. Additionally, the project promotes the handcrafts of the women and young people who cannot find employment. The camel station has a craft shop to sell their crafts. The community at Khowarib also runs a delightful little tourist camp with traditional huts situated on the cliffs overlooking the one and only surface running river in the region. Khowarib Schlucht is a spectacular river canyon with majestically towering cliffs through which the Hoanib River has cut its course. The desert elephants use this route through the mountains during the dry season. Adventurous tourists can join the Camel Patrol Team on their patrols.

INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATION
The Save the Rhino Trust is represented at the international meetings of the African Rhino Specialist Group (AFRSG), which is a member of the Species Survival Commission of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Contributions from Save the Rhino Trust have been made to other International meetings and conferences, throughout Africa and even in Europe and the Americas.

DONORS
Even though all staff members of the SRT are Namibians, the international donors are the basis of our continued success in protecting the desert rhino and elephant.
Our major donors are: The David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation; Rhino Rescue; Save the Rhino International; PTES from the United Kingdom; PACT; berolina Schriftbild, Deutsch Namibische Gesellschaft and the German Embassy; Barbara Delano Foundation;, Caterina Ramella from Italy. In the long term, SRT is aiming to make it's projects self-sufficient and managed by local staff. For this reason training in eco-tourism and support for rhino based tourism is provided. The Ugab Base Camp and Training Centre already generate funds to cover most of their operational costs.

NOTES ON THE DESERT RHINO AND PLANTS
1. The rhino feed on only an estimated 74 plant species of the 103 species that are available during the driest time of the year.
2. Euphorbia is definitely the most highly favoured plant species
3. Rhino, kudu, springbok and gemsok often browse euphorbia damarana for hours at a time. This plant is highly poisonous to humans and can cause blindness if the milk enters the eye.
4. Extracts of Euphorbia species' chemical contents are used in the medical profession to combat certain types of cancer.
5. The Euphorbia damarana is a most valuable plant in the desert; giving shelter to small mammals, shade to rhinos and other smaller animals, providing a mattress for sore-footed elephants, which lie flat out on the bush using it as a mattress.
6. The rhino favour different plant species at different times of the year.
7. The rhino are known to cover some 2500sq km's in search of food.
8. The dryness of the climate gives the skin of the rhino a smooth glossy appearance.
9. The footprints (spoor) are larger than other black rhino subspecies. These rhino have no lesions or visible parasites.
10. Their mountaineering abilities, they climb high onto the mountain ledges out of the heat of the valley, where they sleep in the cool wind from the Atlantic or forage for succulents.
11. They feed extensively on Euphorbia virosa bushes, sometimes staying to feed on one large bush until it is totally eaten up, this can take days, sometimes leaving the bush only to drink and then returning to the same bush to feed.
12. Their ability to go without water for 4 days.
13. They have very large home ranges, measuring 500-600 sq km's.
14. An interesting observation which has proved itself over the accumulated 16 years of studying them is that the cow spends the two to two and a half years before the calf is weaned, in a specific part of her home range while the calf grows up, the calf becomes well orientated, learning the whereabouts of water, mountain succulents and other food sources. She weans the calf and then moves out of the area to another part of her home range to give birth to the new calf. The weaned calf may join up for a while later on but soon leaves and returns to the range which is familiar to it, this is where it stays unless something, such as the first rains, urges it to move right away from the area into new territory (usually in the direction of the rain).
15. Adult rhino kick their dung and spray urine while moving round their ranges as a communication system, spreading their scent around and makes dung middens along pathways near water holes.
16. The desert rhino have sometimes been observed in groups of six, but most times they are solitary.
17. There is seldom fighting between bulls, but occasionally, very aggressive bulls have been known to kill another bull. Cows have been observed to chase other cows with calves in overlapping home ranges.

DEHORNING
- The dehorning of the rhino in danger of being poached in the communal land was very successful after infiltrators had killed 7 rhino in late in 1988.
- In early 1989 the most vulnerable Rhinos were dehorned.
- Five of the cows, which had calves either before or after the dehorning were able to successfully, raise their calves which are now sub adults fending for themselves.
- One of the dehorned bulls died of old age five years after dehorning; maybe he would never have reached old age if he had not been dehorned!

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