Zululand Rhino Reserve Newsletters - August 2006 Latest news Rain and more rain. The ZRR receiving in excess of 100mm, what a blessing!! Everything changed from pale brown to lush green in the blink of an eye. Our “Near” world record White Rhino Cow was successfully GREEN HUNTED on Chaos by a very enthusiastic conservationist from Gauteng Mr. Hennie Boshoff. This is part of our White rhino monitoring program where we want to notch and microchip each and every White Rhino on the Reserve. Her Anterior horn measuring 88cm in length and 66cm circumference and posterior at 21cm in length and 52cm circumference. Mauritz Coetzee accompanied the hunt and will be publishing a four page article in The Hunting Outfitter Magazine next month on this event. Chap Masterson took blood samples and she tested positive to pregnancy of 13-16 months, we also placed a microchip in her horn and neck. Special Thanks Dr Chap Masterson for his professional assistance as well as all the staff and participants in dealing with the injured elephant. To everyone who participated in the management of the veld burning. Everyone that assisted with the Green hunt of our White Rhino. A Different Perspective After it was noticed that an elephant bull was limping badly it was decided to call in a vet’s opinion. Dr Chap Masterson firstly wanted to view the elephant to access its condition. We drove to the area where a game ranger was waiting to show the way. After viewing the elephant Chap decided that it would be necessary to dart the elephant and called for assistance from helicopter pilot Gordon de Beer. Within a quarter of an hour all was set to go. Chap had prepared what he would need to treat the elephant’s foot and we were briefed on what to do when it went down. Should it fall on it’s trunk we would need to get the trunk out from under it otherwise it would suffocate or should it fall forward we would need to roll it on to its side... We would also need to put a smallish stick inside the trunk opening to keep it open for it to breathe. Chap and Gordon took off in the helicopter and we followed in the vehicles with the equipment. We where kept updated by radio and once the elephant was darted we were instructed to move closer. Through the bush we could see it sway on all fours and then go down. Chap and Gordon were on the ground in a matter of seconds and we all jumped from the vehicles, everyone carrying equipment which might be essential. Fortunately for us the bull fell on its side, trunk clear. Its ear was flapped over its eyes as a type of blindfold and the examination of its foot began immediately. Chap determined that there was nothing stuck in the foot but that it was badly infected from an injury. Whilst he cleaned the wound, we were instructed to inject the bull with two bottles of penicillin. After cleaning the wound Chap injected a mixture of anti-inflammatory and pulped banana into the wound. Banana? Apparently, this helps as an anti-inflammatory and prevents decay. While we had the bull down it was thought wise to measure the tusks. It was amazing to touch the bull, to hear its peaceful breathing and to see it close up in all its majestic glory. Everything done, it was time to wake him up. All the equipment was taken back to the vehicles and Chap injected the antidote. In a matter of minutes the bull stood up and crashed through the bush, apparently with a little bit of a hangover. My husband, who is an Outfitter, has hunted and green hunted this specie many times, but for me this was a first hands-on experience and something not to be easily forgotten. Ilze van Coller Interesting animal sightings Black rhino monitoring report All our Rhino are well; we experienced very little movement out of their range even though we had a lot of rain. We had a great sighting at Quixote, F96, F91 and M87 were seen together again but not mating. It’s been cool and we have had lots of good sightings this month, managed to get a picture of our baby.
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