A new home for female Southern White Rhino
The STS team in South Africa recently moved a female Southern White Rhino to new property to improve local genetics.
While she initially did not receive a kind welcome, which is not uncommon. She stood her ground and the two bulls quickly warmed up to her and shortly afterwards they were seen all together at a waterhole.
Moving Rhino between reserves and wildlife properties is important for the genetic diversification of the species.
All five living rhino species have suffered significant population declines due to decades of habitat loss and poaching. Many populations are now small and isolated with low genetic diversity, raising fears among conservationists that the remaining populations could suffer disease and inbreeding problems.
A major priority for Rhino conservation is obviously to reduce illegal poaching, but to also ensure that there is sufficient carrying capacity for population recovery, something which STS is actively involved in!