Releasing Three Orphaned White Rhinoceroses (Ceratotherium simum) to the Game Reserve in South Africa. Rehabilitation, Translocation and Post-Release Observations

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Every year, thousands of African animals die at the hands of poachers. One of the most famous species killed by poachers is the rhinoceros, particularly the white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum). Out of many methods of dealing with this situation, the rehabilitation of wounded and/or orphaned animals with the intent to successfully release them back into the wild is becoming more encountered. This study presents the history of successful release of three orphaned white rhino females; rehabilitated for 15 months in Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in a private game reserve located in Eastern Cape in South Africa. The animals differed in age and size: female A was three years old, female B was one year old, and the youngest one was three months old on arrival. The procedure turned out to be sufficient to keep their natural habits and since they were released, they have been living in the wild successfully. ABSTRACT: White rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) is one of the most famous victims of poachers in Africa. One of the methods for dealing with decreasing rhino numbers is rehabilitating wounded and/or orphaned animals to successfully release them back into the wild. The status of rescued animal differs among individuals, but general procedures must be established and constantly improved. This study presents the history of successful release of three orphaned white rhino females; rehabilitated for 15 months in Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in a private game reserve in South Africa. Female A was three years old, female B was one year old and the youngest female was three months old on arrival. The animals were rehabilitated together despite the differences in their age and size, with particular attention paid to keeping them as wild as possible. After being weaned and becoming old enough to go back to the wild, they were released at a distance from the rehabilitation centre, which required immobilization and translocation. Since the rhinos were released, they have been successfully living in the wild. All procedures used in this study proved to be sufficient for preparing the animals for life in the wild and can be recommended for other centres.