What exactly does “Rhino Notching” mean?
Rhino notches are one of the easiest methods for rangers to use to identify a certain rhino in the wild.
Small notches are made in a unique pattern along the edges of a rhino’s ears so that they can be identified from a distance. This way, rangers on vehicles, or flying overhead in helicopters, can quickly spot and determine one rhino from another.
With the species under extreme threat from poaching, notching helps rangers and conservationists monitor each animal more closely. By recording each rhinos habits and patterns, they are far more likely to pick up when something is amiss.
The piece of ear tissue collected during notching is used as a DNA sample for forensic purposes and is a legal requirement when immobilizing rhino in SA.
What is a Dehorning (Trimming)?
We would like to explain why it is that we feel the necessity to dehorn Rhino as a major conservation effort, as well as to spread awareness amongst the public regarding this approach to save our animals.
Rhino dehorning may seem like a brutal process, but is always carried out by professional conservation teams, who take every step to ensure that dehorning is done safely and does not cause any harm to the Rhino.
After sedation, the horn is cut off and a grinder used to smooth any sharp edges before the rhino is woken up. The entire process is very quick and painless.
Horns grow back over time, with recent studies claiming that the re-growth of dehorned rhino horn appears faster than the growth in non-dehorned rhinos.
The utmost skill is required by our pilot & Vet as there are many dangers to overcome such as power lines, weather, rhinos who might run into a dam, etc.
