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» Bookmark or Share Home » Projects » Mkomazi - Czech Rhinos Translocation

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Translocation of 3 Black Rhinos from the zoo in the Republic of Czechoslovakia!

Updat from Tony Fitzjohn June 2, 2009

It finally happened. The Mkomazi Rhino Sanctuary took delivery of the three black rhino from Czech on Friday, May 31st, 2009! An exhausting, rewarding day.

They were crated at Dvur Kralove Zoo in Czech and then they did a 1,000 km road trip to Amsterdam. Pete Morkel (the accompanying vet), Berry White (UK rhino keeper) and the Dvur Kralove rhino keeper were with them. They then rested for the day at Schipol Airport in Amsterdam in a privately set-aside hangar. They loaded that night and flew through the night to Kilimanjaro. The Martin Air agent advised us that the aircraft would arrive at 07.20 in the morning and in typical Dutch style it touched down at Kilimanjaro at 07:23. We had pre-cleared them as much as was physically possible, so from the door of the aircraft opening, off-loading them from the plane, to loading them up on the awaiting trucks and the trucks departing from Kilimanjaro Airport - the timing was 1 hour and 5 minutes!!

They then arrived at Mkomazi at lunch time. The Director of Wildlife, the Director General of National Parks, the Chairman of National Parks had flown in for the day. Brigadier Gen. Mbita and Rose Lugembe, our Tanzanian Trustees, and many other VIPs were there. The TANAPA wardens who had come for the day to show support were even talking about replicating the Mkomazi Rhino Sanctuary in another national park to help bring the numbers up. The Deputy British High Commissioner was there and the Director of the Dvur Kralove Zoo who had donated the rhino to Mkomazi, Dr Dana Holeckova.

 

 

The first male did not come out of his crate at the Mkomazi bomas for about an hour. I took the VIPs off for lunch, and by the time everyone had eaten, Pete, Tony, Berry, our Tanzanian personnel, the other vets and the Dvur Kralove personnel had off-lodaed all three rhino. Brig. Mbita then made a speech.

They are now settling into their new lives. We have two keepers with them, Berry and the Dvur Kralove keeper Honza. Pete Morkel is here with 2 other TANAPA vets who have been assigned to him for capacity building. One of the vets is the Chief TANAPA vet.. Another vet is Dr Christine Geiger from Frankfurt Zoo and Dr Hamish Currie is also here. Transmitters will be implanted into their horns next week.

Pete and the team were absolutely exhausted at the end of that huge journey. But they were an incredible team. in for the day. Brigadier Gen. Mbita and Rose Lugembe, our Tanzanian Trustees, and many other VIPs were there. The TANAPA wardens who had come for the day to show support were even talking about replicating the Mkomazi Rhino Sanctuary in another national park to help bring the numbers up. The Deputy British High Commissioner was there and the Director of the Dvur Kralove Zoo who had donated the rhino to Mkomazi, Dr Dana Holeckova.

 

 

Pete and the team were absolutely exhausted at the end of that huge journey. They were an incredible team.

http://www.tanzaniaparks.com/mkomazi.html

 

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