WWF SA's black rhino expansion project reaches new milestone
This number includes all rhinos moved to new sites and their offspring, and in some cases second- and third-generation offspring, the WWF said on Tuesday.
The project's main aim is to increase the numbers of the critically endangered species. This is done in two ways: by removing black rhino from reserves with existing populations; and
moving them to new areas where they have space to breed and thrive.
With fewer than 6,500 black rhinos left in the world, this means the project has facilitated custodianship of 16% of the South African population across 17 sites, the WWF said.
The BRREP began as a three-year project with the goal of establishing one, perhaps two, black rhino populations of 20 rhinos each. The WWF said in those early days, nobody envisioned that the project would still be running 22 years later.
It is now in its eighth three-year phase, with more than 400 rhinos in its metapopulation, spread across several sites.
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