Operation to dehorn rhinos at Manyeleti Nature Reserve a great success
This is done to curb poaching attempts at the reserve.
The Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) recently undertook a dehorning operation at the Manyeleti Nature Reserve as part of its continuous preventative operation.
A total of 11 rhinos were dehorned and DNA samples of the animals were taken for both forensic and scientific purposes. When combined with the two operations undertaken during 2019, this has resulted in the vast majority of the reserve’s territorial rhinos (both black and white) having their horns removed. The primary aim is to prevent them from being hunted illegally.
The nature reserve is part of the Greater Kruger Transfrontier Conservation Area and thus has unfenced boundaries with its surrounding protected areas. These unfenced areas allow for the free movement of animals, including rhinos, across the borders.
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Those that were dehorned could thus also disperse into neighbouring protected areas and create a buffer zone. This will act as a further incentive to prevent illegal hunters from entering the greater area, as the probability of them locating a rhino with a horn to poach will be greatly reduced.
The technique that was used resulted in 90 to 95 per cent of the horn being removed without the animal being injured in any way. The small calves with the cows were also DNA sampled for research and monitoring purposes. This will ensure that even if these young animals were possibly illegally shot elsewhere, they can be genetically traced back to the reserve.
The operation was a collaboration between the MTPA, Flying for Freedom South Africa, Nkombe Rhino, Southern African Wildlife College (SAWC) Airwing and the Greater Kruger Environmental Protection Foundation.
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Flying for Freedom South Africa and its sponsors donated fuel for the helicopter. Trys Schroeder donated his time and aircraft for the operation. Nkombe Rhino donated funds, which covered the costs of the veterinarian, medication and equipment for the operation. The SACW and its sponsors covered the flying costs of its Savannah aircraft for the operation.
The MTPA would like to thank these NPOs, their sponsors and everyone involved for their contribution to a very successful operation.
