Rwanda to welcome 70 white rhinos from South Africa in historic conservation effort
RWANDA, May 16 — Rwanda's biggest national park announced yesterday it will be receiving 70 white rhinos from South Africa later this month, in the country's largest such transfer ever.
The animals, which can weigh up to two tonnes, are set to travel some 3,400 kilometres (2,100 miles) to their new home in Akagera National Park.
'This event marks a key milestone in rhino conservation and showcases our collective efforts to protect and sustainably manage Akagera National Park,' the park said in a statement.
Once plentiful across sub-Saharan Africa, white rhino suffered first from hunting by European settlers, and later a poaching epidemic that largely wiped them out.
According to the International Rhino Foundation (IRF), rhino poaching in Africa rose by four percent from 2022 to 2023, with at least 586 poached in 2023.
The southern white rhino, one of two subspecies, is now listed as 'near threatened', with about 17,000 individuals remaining, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The northern white rhino has all but vanished, with only two females left alive.
Scientists are attempting to save the species from extinction by harvesting eggs from the younger of the two animals, Fatu, and using sperm from two deceased males to create embryos in an unprecedented breeding programme, the subspecies' last chance at survival.
Rwanda, which is positioning itself as a top safari destination, received 30 white rhinos in 2021 in the same park.
The population of white rhino is on the rise in South Africa despite poaching, according to IRF.
The transfer aims to support their population growth and secure a new breeding stronghold in Rwanda. — AFP
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Malay Mail
3 days ago
- Malay Mail
How to move a rhino? Think dart guns, helicopters, and a whole lot of patience
NAKURU (Kenya), June 10 — Barely feeling the tranquiliser shot, the panic-stricken female rhinoceros ran to take shelter in a wooded area, eluding the low-flying helicopter trying to prevent her escape. The rhino was supposed to be transferred to another park in Kenya on Saturday, but outsmarted the humans. A few minutes later, rangers in 4x4 vehicles searched through thickets too dense for the crane truck that was meant to carry her away. A decision was quickly made to administer the antidote to the tranquilise to prevent her from collapsing. If she fell the wrong way, she could suffocate. The young female will therefore remain where she was born. 'The rhino is the worst one to translocate,' said Taru Sheldrick, who was piloting the helicopter in Nakuru National Park in northwest Kenya, an oasis of greenery surrounding a deep blue lake. 'When you dart them, if you don't have long enough, they're running straight for thick bush, which is their security,' he said. 'Whenever you're darting a rhino, you have a little bit of fear. Because it's a species in danger. Every animal is just so important.' Rhinos, which can weigh up to two tonnes, were once abundant in sub-Saharan Africa. But hunting by European colonisers and later large-scale poaching pushed them to the brink of extinction. Race against time The International Rhino Foundation (IRF) says there are about 28,000 left in the world, nearly 24,000 in Africa. Kenya is home to more than 2,000 of them. Rhinos reproduce less efficiently if too many of its kin live in the same location, according to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), which manages the country's parks. Moving them is therefore important, but rhinos are vulnerable to tranquilisers that slow their breathing, increase their body temperature and affect their heart rate, said Dr Dominic Mijele from KWS. So it is a race against time as soon as a veterinarian, aboard a helicopter, administers the drug using a dart gun. Five to seven minutes after injection, the rhino begins to feel groggy. Then it collapses, as AFP observed on Saturday: after the first female retreated into the bush, three other black rhinos were anaesthetised within the span of a few hours in Nakuru. A rescue team arrived on-site within two minutes of each shot, moving like a well-oiled machine. Kenya Wildlife Service veterinarians and rangers rush to restrain and aid a sedated female black Rhinoceros that has been selected for translocation to the Segera Rhino Sanctuary from the Lake Nakuru National Park. — AFP pic About a dozen caregivers surrounded the animals, spraying them with water to cool their body temperature, rolling them onto their sides to ensure their respiration was not obstructed, administering oxygen and monitoring their vital signs. Simultaneously, several other rangers secured the animals with straps threaded through the transport cage and attached to the front bumper of a jeep. Fifteen minutes after the rescue team's arrival, the antidote was administered. The animal then jolted to its feet and was promptly guided into a cage, which a crane loaded onto the flatbed of a truck. Kenya Wildlife Service veterinarians and rangers in action. — AFP pic 'Number one' Mijele boasted of Kenya's unmatched expertise. 'We are number one in the world. We have done so many rhino translocations successfully,' he said. Jochen Zeitz, the owner of the private Segera Reserve, where about 20 rhinos have been relocated in the past two weeks, could not hide his relief after the latest operation. On his 200 square kilometres of land, elephants, buffalos, lions, leopards, cheetahs and more roam freely, said the former Puma CEO and current Harley-Davidson executive. But the reserve lacked 'this iconic species' which were present up until 60 years ago in Segera, but have since disappeared. Kenya Wildlife Service veterinarians and rangers help push a truck stuck in the mud, carrying a female black rhinoceros selected for translocation from Lake Nakuru National Park to the Segera Rhino Sanctuary. — AFP pic Welcoming rhinos back is 'completing the conservation work that we've done as a foundation over the last 22 years' since acquiring the land, he told AFP. Due to the high risk of poaching for their horns, security measures had to be significantly enhanced with 100-150 new security staff, Zeitz said. Late Saturday, a small group witnessed the release of the three rhinos from Nakuru, who had arrived in Segera after a six-hour drive. In the dense night darkness, they listened as the metal bars of the transport cages were removed, doors creaked open, and heavy stomping accompanied by guttural growls rang out. The rhinos had finally arrived at their new home. — AFP
Sinar Daily
4 days ago
- Sinar Daily
Rare firefly species discovered in Bukit Kiara forest enclave
KUALA LUMPUR - Discovering something rare is exciting but it becomes truly memorable when it happens unexpectedly. That was exactly the case for Tan Wei Jack, 24, a research assistant and master's student in environmental science at Monash University Malaysia. He never imagined that a routine firefly survey at Taman Persekutuan Bukit Kiara here on Oct 23 last year, would lead to the unintentional "rediscovery' of a rare species last seen in Malaysia a century ago. Of the nine Pteroptyx species found in mangrove forests, four have been listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. - Bernama photo His discovery - Pteroptyx gombakia (P. gombakia) or the Gombak bent-winged firefly - turned out to be the third known specimen of this particular species, and marked the ninth known firefly species identified in the Bukit Kiara urban forest, Malaysia's first federal park which is managed by the National Landscape Department. P. gombakia was officially named in 2015 by entomologist Lesly Ballantyne at the Natural History Museum in London, based on the first specimen of the species collected in 1921 from the area now known as Genting Sempah in Gombak, Selangor. Tan said the firefly specimen he collected last October was initially assumed to be of a species from the genus Colophotia, which is commonly found in Bukit Kiara. But later when he examined it closely on Jan 9, it looked different. "So I took some photos through the microscope and sent them to my academic supervisor Dr Wan Faridah (Akmal Jusoh). After discussions, we found out it was actually a bent-winged P. gombakia (from a different genus),' he told Bernama recently. Tan said he, together with Dr Wan Faridah - a firefly taxonomist and senior lecturer in Biodiversity and Conservation at Monash University Malaysia - returned to Bukit Kiara to do more research. "Whenever we saw their flashing lights (usually at twilight), we would catch the fireflies, observe their features, record their species and then release them,' he said. MANGROVE SPECIES According to Wan Faridah, who is also the co-chair of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission Firefly Specialist Group, P. gombakia belongs to the genus Pteroptyx, which is usually found in mangrove habitats and known for its synchronous flashing displays in large congregations. She added there is a group of Pteroptyx called 'bent-winged' fireflies, named after their folded wings, which are also mostly found in mangroves. She said she was surprised when Tan showed her the specimen collected from the Bukit Kiara urban forest as it was "the first bent-winged Pteroptyx ever found outside of mangroves'. "This suggests that the species can actually survive outside that ecosystem,' she told Bernama. Wan Faridah also said she did not realise Tan's specimen was the bent-winged Pteroptyx until she examined its microscopic images. "The difference (between P. gombakia and the more common Colophotia) was spotted in the (P. gombakia) firefly's light-producing organ called the 'lantern', which is located in the insect's abdomen,' she said. She explained both P. gombakia and Colophotia have bipartite light organs, meaning the structure is divided into two distinct sections. However, P. gombakia lacks a median carina, a ridge that separates the organ into two halves. "Indeed, it's truly magical we have this rare group of fireflies living in the heart of our city,' she said. She also said out of the 14 known bent-winged Pteroptyx species, nine are found in mangrove ecosystems. The habitats of the remaining species, including P. gombakia, remain unclear due to a lack of ecological data. TYPES OF FIREFLIES Fireflies belong to Lampyridae, a family of insects within the Coleoptera order, which includes bioluminescent beetles. Wan Faridah said globally, more than 2,600 firefly species have been identified. In Malaysia, over 60 species have been documented so far, with at least 10 of them found in mangrove swamps. She said one of the main characteristics distinguishing territorial fireflies from mangrove forest fireflies is their behaviour: the former typically fly alone while the latter - also known as congregating fireflies - gather and display their light in groups. Of the nine Pteroptyx species found in mangrove forests, four have been listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. "Usually, two to three species can be found congregating in a single mangrove tree, and these insects require suitable water levels and temperatures to ensure the survival of their species,' she said. Wan Faridah noted that most fireflies found flying in both mangrove and terrestrial habitats are males while some females are flightless, remaining on the ground while the males fly and use light signals to locate and attract them. While congregating fireflies in mangrove swamps are well-known as ecotourism attractions in Malaysia, Wan Faridah said solitary fireflies also exist in other forest types. The Bukit Kiara urban forest, for instance, is now home to nine firefly species, including Lamprigera - the world's largest female firefly species - and the latest discovery P. gombakia. EXTINCTION Wan Faridah said unlike most Pteroptyx species, the bent-winged firefly species recently discovered in Bukit Kiara does not appear to congregate in large numbers. "We don't have enough data about this species and we still have many unanswered questions. "What worries us is that we may have discovered a species (P. gombakia) which is on the brink of extinction. So currently, we are racing against time to find the answers,' she said. According to Wan Faridah, threats to P. gombakia include habitat loss due to urban development and artificial lighting at night, which causes light pollution and disrupts the flashing signals fireflies use to communicate with each other. "Every rediscovered firefly species is evidence that extinction is possible but it can still be prevented if we act. "If more people become aware of these endangered fireflies, perhaps more efforts will be made to protect their habitats,' she said. Wan Faridah also said despite the potential of fireflies as ecotourism assets, one of the main challenges for researchers in Malaysia is the lack of a proper species inventory and natural history collection, which would serve as a valuable archive of insect diversity. She said research on fireflies in Malaysia is limited, making conservation efforts more difficult. "I had no intention of becoming an entomologist until I discovered kelip-kelip (fireflies) in 2006 during a final year project field trip to Kampung Sepetang, Perak, when I was an environmental science undergraduate at Universiti Putra Malaysia. "I became curious and told my supervisor I wanted to study fireflies... but due to the lack of local studies (on fireflies), I had to start from scratch - building my own database by collecting species across Malaysia,' she said, adding her research focuses not only on biodiversity but also on the natural heritage of fireflies. She also pointed out that due to colonial-era practices, many specimens originally from Malaysia are now stored in foreign institutions. "Due to the lack of facilities in Malaysia, as part of my research projects, I need to travel to countries like the Netherlands, France and England to visit their natural history museums to compare reference specimens of fireflies that were collected during the colonial era,' she said. She added that the process of recognising and verifying new firefly discoveries takes at least two years, and requires both funding and facilities. "In Malaysia, very few firefly studies have been carried out. Even when discoveries are made, it is difficult for us to confirm whether they are new or just duplicates of existing species,' she said. Wan Faridah also hopes to build an extensive species database and discover new species of fireflies. "I want to reconstruct the data so we can have a comprehensive list of what species we actually have here in Malaysia. "My goal is to develop a national species inventory so that future generations who want to study fireflies can refer to it, so we can continue the legacy of protecting Malaysia's firefly biodiversity,' she said. - BERNAMA
Malay Mail
04-06-2025
- Malay Mail
As reefs bleach and die, scientists freeze trillions of coral cells from the Great Barrier Reef to save them for the future
SYDNEY, June 5 — Rows of tanks filled with liquid nitrogen sit in temperature-controlled chambers at Sydney's Taronga zoo, cradling parts of the Great Barrier Reef's diverse and magnificent corals frozen in time. The world's largest store of cryogenically frozen coral is a frosty Noah's Ark for an ecosystem that scientists warn could be the first to disappear if climate change is not combatted fast enough. Trillions of cells from dozens of key coral species on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) — collected each year during mass spawning — offer the chance to regenerate damaged and diminished corals now and into the future. 'Essentially, a pause button has been pressed on their biological clocks,' said Justine O'Brien, manager of conservation science at Taronga Conservation Society Australia. 'I hope our collective efforts can help to retain the reef's beautiful diversity,' she told AFP. Since the coral programme began in 2011, Taronga's CryoDiversity Bank has been intruding annually on the GBR's spawning, when corals send eggs and sperm into the waters for breeding. Scientists collect the sperm and mix it with cryoprotectants, which remove water as the samples freeze, and protect internal cell structures. Eggs contain too much water and fat to be frozen without damage using current techniques, so for now cannot be similarly banked, but other cells are also harvested and frozen for research. The samples are placed into liquid nitrogen and stored at -196 degrees Celsius (-320 Fahrenheit). Strict measures ensure the temperature never changes. 'We can keep them alive indefinitely,' O'Brien said. 'You could thaw them out a few years from now, a few decades from now or hundreds of years from now and they will have retained the same fertilising potential that existed when they were initially collected and frozen.' Rows of tanks filled with liquid nitrogen sit in temperature-controlled chambers at Sydney's Taronga Zoo, cradling parts of the Great Barrier Reef's diverse and magnificent corals frozen in time. — AFP pic Coral disease, death So far the bank has 34 species of the approximately 400 kinds of hard corals on the GBR, prioritising those most essential to reef structure and function, with plans to expand. In addition to reproduction, the samples can be used for research and record-keeping, helping track the effects of warming seas, overfishing and pollution that threaten coral reefs globally. Scientists forecast that at 1.5 Celsius (34.7 Fahrenheit) of warming, some 70 to 90 percent of the world's coral reefs could disappear — a disastrous prospect for people and the planet. Coral reefs support not just marine life but hundreds of millions of people living in coastal communities by providing food, protection from storms and livelihoods through fishing and tourism. Warming oceans cause coral to expel the algae that provides not just their characteristic colour but also their food. Once bleached, they are exposed to disease and death by starvation. A global coral bleaching event has been unfolding since 2023, spreading to 84 per cent of the world's reefs, across the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans. Live coral cover has halved since the 1950s due to climate change and environmental damage, the International Coral Reef Initiative, a global conservation partnership, said this year. Next week, nations will meet in France for a UN oceans summit where they will be under pressure to deliver action and much-needed funds to better protect the world's overexploited and polluted seas. But the third UN Ocean Conference may struggle to find global consensus and raise money given ongoing disagreements over deep-sea mining, plastic trash and overfishing. 'Window closing' O'Brien warns the GBR is under pressure, despite the resilience it has already shown. 'We know the frequency and severity of impacts that are now occurring are not giving the reef enough recovery time,' she said. The cryobank, one of just a handful around the world, offers a glimmer of hope. Last year, Taronga and Australian Institute of Marine Science researchers successfully thawed frozen coral sperm to fertilise fresh eggs, producing viable coral larvae that were placed back onto the reef. It was a world-first for the GBR and preliminary surveys show the transplants have grown well. These efforts — part of a broader programme looking at everything from shading corals to transplanting more heat-tolerant varieties — are a 'small part of the solution to the global coral reef crisis,' said WWF-Australia's head of oceans Richard Leck. But he warned that more needs to be done to ensure the long-term survival of coral. 'Reefs are incredibly resilient and they do bounce back remarkably quickly after major disturbances,' he told AFP. 'There is certainly a window to get reefs through climate change, but it is clear that that window is closing.' — AFP
