The status of rhinoceroses in South African National Parks

Sam M Ferreira,Cathy Greaver,Angela Gaylard,Charlene Bissett,Markus Hofmeyr,Jessica Hayes,Lizette Moolman-Van Der Vyver,David Zimmermann,Carly R Cowell

doi:10.4102/koedoe.v59i1.1392

Abstract

African rhinoceroses (rhinos) experienced a poaching onslaught since 2008 with the epicentre in South Africa where most of the world’s rhinos occur. South African national parks, under the management of South African National Parks (SANParks), are custodian to 49% of South Africa’s white and 31% of the country’s black rhinos. We collated information on rhino population sizes in seven national parks from 2011 to 2015. We include and report on rhino surveys in Kruger National Park during 2014 and 2015. Southwestern black rhinos increased over the study period, which allows SANParks to achieve its contribution to South Africa’s 2020 target of 260 individuals. South-central black rhinos declined over the study period because of poaching in the Kruger National Park, making it difficult for SANParks to realise a 9% increase per annum for its expected contribution to the South African target of 2800 individuals. For southern white rhinos, SANParks requires 5% annual growth for its contribution to the South African target of 20 400 individuals. To continue to evaluate the achievement of these targets, SANParks needs annual population estimates relying on total counts, mark-recapture techniques and block-based sample counts to track trends in rhino populations. SANParks’ primary challenge in achieving its contribution to South Africa’s rhino conservation targets is associated with curbing poaching in Kruger National Park.Conservation implications: The status and trends of rhino species in SANParks highlight key challenges associated with achieving the national targets of South Africa. Conservation managers will need to improve the protection of southern white rhino, while the Department of Environmental Affairs need to be made aware of the challenges specifically associated with not achieving targets for south-central black rhino. Outcomes for south-western black rhino have already realised and the good conservation efforts should continue.

Highlights

Addo Elephant National Park makes the largest contribution towards south-western black rhino populations, with the combined numbers in Kuzuko, Nyathi and Colchester-Main Camp Sections comprising a minimum of 120 individuals (Table 4)
Over half of the south-central black rhinos within SANParks occur in Kruger National Park (Table 4)
Between the 2013 and 2014 surveys, the number of south-central black rhinos born that survived the first year in Kruger National Park was similar to the number of rhinos poached (Table 5)

Summary

Introduction

Of the African rhinos, the southern white rhino Ceratotherium simum simum is the most abundant (Amin et al 2006a), with its total numbers exceeding that of a minimum viable population (Reed et al 2003). The northern white rhino Ceretatherium simum cottoni is functionally extinct (Groves, Fernando & Robovský 2010) and the western black rhino Diceros bicornis longipes (Emslie 2011) recently went extinct (Travers, Waterland & Stroud 2011). Asian rhinos (greater one-horn rhino Rhinoceros unicornis; Javan rhino Rhinoceros sondaicus and Sumatran rhino Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) all survive only in small numbers, with the Sumatran and Javan rhinos each with less than 100 in the wild. There were 3557 greater one-horn rhino by the end of 2015 (Emslie et al 2016)

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Discussion

Conclusion