07 Nov 2007 - KwaZulu-Natal,
South Africa – A group of black rhinos has
been successfully released into a community-owned
game reserve in northern KwaZulu-Natal,
a move seen by environmentalists as a boost
to conserving the endangered species.
The release of 11 rhinos into the Somkhanda
Game Reserve is part of the Black Rhino
Range Expansion Project — a partnership
between WWF and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife —
to increase suitable land available for
a viable black rhino population.
Once the most numerous rhino species in
the world, today, there are only an estimated
3,700 left in the wild.
“Working with both communal and private
landowners is essential for the future of
rhino conservation,” said Khulani Mkhize,
CEO of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife CEO.
Somkhanda Game Reserve is owned by the
Gumbi community, which claimed the area
as part of South Africa’s post-apartheid
land restitution process. Rather than settling
the land, community leaders decided to zone
it for economic sustainability, including
wildlife conservation and tourism activities.
“Empowering local communities to become
stakeholders is a priority in conservation
and Somkhanda is an example where it is
really starting to happen,” said WWF’s Dr
Jacques Flamand, head of the Black Rhino
Range Expansion Project.
“This is very important for the long-term
security of the black rhino and other endangered
species.”
Somkhanda Game Reserve is the first community
land to be involved with the WWF-supported
project. The first three were privately
held partner sites in KwaZulu-Natal Province:
Mun-ya-wana Game Reserve, Zululand Rhino
Reserve and Pongola Game Reserve.
“The Gumbi leadership has shown courage
and foresight…,” said Rejoice Mabudafhasi,
South Africa’s Deputy Minister of the Department
of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, who
attended the rhino release.
“As the first community to become partners
in this important project, they are pioneering
a way that we hope many others will follow.”
Pam Sherriffs, Communications Manager
Black Rhino Range Expansion Project
