Black Rhinos

in the Mkomazi National Park

In 2009, the Dvur Kralove Zoo shipped three black rhinos (Diceros bicornis) to the Mkomazi National Park in Tanzania. Female Deborah and males Jamie and Jabu settled so well that small female Hilla was born to Deborah in 2011. The zoo thus successfully participate in a project, that helps to save rhinos not only in Tanzania, but in the whole Eastern Africa.

The rhino sanctuary in Mkomazi is run by legendary Tony Fitzjohn who assisted George Adamson in reintroducing lions and leopards back into the wild. He took over Mkomazi, then devastated by poaching and grazing, in late 1980s and since 1997 he has directed the conservation programme for black rhinos. Animals are kept in large fenced bomas in the centre of the national park that encompasses about 3250 square kilometres. Mkomazi borders on the Tsavo national park in Kenya where Josef Vagner, the former director of the Dvur Kralove Zoo, caught predecessors of the transported rhinos. It means they returned literally to their homeland.

According to the organization Save the Rhino, large-scale poaching of the now critically endangered black rhino resulted in a dramatic 96% decline from 65,000 individuals in 1970 to just 2,300 in 1993. Thanks to the persistent efforts of conservation programmes across Africa black rhino numbers have risen since the early 1990s to a current population just slightly over 5,000. However, the eastern subspecies is still extremely endangered with population just about 800. Caregivers at the Dvur Kralove Zoo have bred this subspecies since 1970s and have witnessed a birth of 39 calves so far. As one of the most successful rhino breeders in captivity in the world we highly appreciate that we can participate in efforts to save them in their orginal habitat as well. The transport was a coordinated effort of the Dvur Kralove Zoo, the Mkomazi National Park - external link , Suzuki Rhino Club - external link  and Back to Africa - external link .

Detailed information about the transport (pdf document):

File download (1.06 MB)

Updates on Black Rhinos and Mkomazi

In the case you look for more detailed information on northern white rhinos and Ol Pejeta, please, contact Jan Stejskal, In Situ Projects Co-ordinator at Dvur Kralove Zoo, jan.stejskal(at)zoodk.cz

Year 2013: Nice Family and Jabu with Monduli

During the whole year 2013 a family of Jamie, Deborah and Hilla lived conveniently in their new boma in which they had been moved prior to translocation of three rhinos from Port Lympne in 2012. Premysl Rabas, the director of Dvur Kralove Zoo, visited Mkomazi in October and confirmed they are in a great health state.

Jabu used to live on his own, friendly and ready to be hand-fed with carrots. He has become a friend to a tame buffalo female and shared his boma with her. However, in the end of the year, the buffalo was replaced by Monduli, a rhino male from Port Lympne who is younger than Jabu, but is of more dominant character than Jabu. The males live together now.

Year 2012: New Compound for Dvur Rhinos

On 17th June, three black rhinos from Port Lympne were transferred to Mkomazi. Prior to their arrival, the rhinos from Dvur Kralove had to be moved to a new larger boma to make way for the Lympne ones. "They were all doing so well that we did not want to do anything invasive," said Tony Fitzjohn about the move.

"We decided to use the NASA technology of dragging an old saucepan of water behind a car to give them a good drink of water and to inch them forwards, with a few carrots in to the bargain as well. Rather than filling up their waterholes, we would meet them every evening and give them water, slowly moving them in the direction that we wanted them to go."

"It was the most amamzing time. Jamie, the fairly aggressive bull, had calmed right down and would come close to the large saucepan of water. As we moved them, fences would go up behind so if they decided to head back, there was no access. We closed off a new 2 km section with a new external fence. We laid down thousands of tons of murram to make a good road by this new external fence line. The Grader also went through after the JCB had cleared a path, more for the smooth transit of the saucepan than for the rhinos!"

"Many months and miles later, the day came when they reached their new water hole, happy and calm. At 04:00 in the morning, our team fenced them into their new section with Deborah watching on."

Year 2011: Deborah Gave Birth to Hilla

The ongoing rain in the first part of the year provided optimum vegetation for the rhinos. Security systems continued to be upgraded, four new security outposts were put in throughout the key areas in the rhino sanctuary. A new waterhole was constructed in the area where the females like to breed.

Very sadly, a new-born calf was lost to a leopard in June - a highly unusual event. However, great news came in October. Sanctuary personnel found out Deborah, the female translocated from Dvur Kralove Zoo in the Czech Republic in 2009, had given birth to a female calf. She was later named Hilla.