Anti poaching and monitoring

Save the Rhino Trust in Namibia has three main programmes to support their overall objective to protect the indigenous white and black rhino in the region:

Field Patrolling and Monitoring

  • Maintaining a consistent ground / air reconnaissance and patrolling presence to act as a deterrent against poaching
  • Monitoring and patrolling of black rhino through individual identification
  • Reporting on black rhino numbers and distribution, human-wildlife conflict, incidents of human-induced disturbance, rainfall and springs
  • Compiling all data forms, photos and other information to hand to the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) for updating the Kunene black rhino database
  • Assisting MET with rhino capture operations and translocations

Capacity Building:

  • Training for their trackers, MET staff and Community Game Guards
  • Basic Rhino Monitoring Course (theory) and Practical Monitoring Course
  • GPS Training
  • Mapping Course
  • Basic Scene-of-the-Crime Training Courses
  • A new incentive-based training programme for Community Game Guards known as ‘Rhino Rangers’ in the Conservancies
  • Rhino Conservation Tourism Training Course for Tour Operators and Conservancy ‘Rhino Trackers’

Research and Evaluation:

  • A study of community attitudes towards living with black rhino
  • Biology and population dynamics studies based on the Kunene database
  • Development of adaptive monitoring planning
  • Promotion of a responsible rhino-viewing tourism model, including development of a rhino-viewing protocol and rotational land use strategy
  • Habitat assessments and rhino recovery site assessments pre- and post- translocations
Back to top ↑