Namibian Black Rhino Monitor Training Project

Objective:
To train and deploy monitors to observe, record and protect rhino populations established on communal conservancies and private land under the Black Rhino Custodianship Programme (BRCP).

Background:
Populations of rhino which are established on either private land or communal conservancies under the BRCP require constant monitoring and protection if they are to be successful. A critical gap in the BRCP has been the availability of trained, competent and dedicated field monitors to record the daily progress and to protect these sub-populations.

Between the Ministry of the Environment (MET) and Save the Rhino Trust (SRT) this gap has been identified and both agree that the solution lies in selecting suitable candidates from the Custodian communities and landowners, having SRT / MET train these monitors in the field, deploying the trained monitors with suitable equipment, and following up by MET and SRT in the communal conservancies and on private land.

Project Details:
There will be a two-phase approach to the full development of a competent and dedicated force of rhino monitors / field rangers. The first phase is a course that will have the objective of providing basic training, selecting those suitable for deployment and identifying candidates with leadership potential. The first of these will be run by MET and SRT at Ojovasondo in Etosha National Park.

The course currently being used and refined by SRT will then serve as a follow-up after assessments of the candidate monitors and their performance in the field.

SRT, MET, the respective communal conservancy committees and private landowners will select participants for training. The area has sufficient rhino for the animals be easily located, and has a population of other 'dangerous' species, namely elephant and lion.

After these courses, the monitors should have up-to-date knowledge of each population of rhino (distribution, social interaction, dynamics), while the rhino themselves will benefit from improved protection. Trained Monitors will ensure greater on-the-ground protection for individual rhino as well as provide relevant management information on distribution patterns and population dynamics.

In addition, professional surveillance and protection of black rhino populations in the communal conservancies will mean greater accessibility to the animals by guided tourists and less conflict between the rhino and members of the community.