Question NW1792 to the Minister of Environmental Affairs
29 June 2018 - NW1792
Purdon, Mr RK to ask the Minister of Environmental Affairs
(1) (a) What number of black rhino have been translocated to the Republic of Chad (i) in each of the five financial years and (ii) since 1 April 2018 and (b) to which parks or facilities were they. (2) whether the government of Chad purchased the rhino; if so, what amount was paid for the rhino; if not, were they a donation from the Government of South Africa; if so, (3) whether the Government paid for the transportation costs; if so, what amount was paid to translocate the rhino?
Reply:
(1) (a)
(i) No rhinos were translocated by South Africa to the Republic of Chad in the past five financial years.
(ii) Six black rhinos were translocated on 03 May 2018.
(b)
To the Zakouma National Park in the Republic of Chad.
(2) The six black rhinos were part of the Custodianship Programme with the Republic of Chad for the purpose of reintroducing black rhinos in the Republic of Chad following the loss of their native subspecies 46 years ago. Secondly, the reintroduction of six black rhinos in the Republic of Chad is also aimed at growing the continental meta-population of black rhinos and to contribute to the conservation of black rhinos on the African continent. This is in line with the African Range States African Rhino Conservation Plan aimed at re-establishing rhino populations in former range states.
The Custodianship Agreement was part of the other two Co-operative Agreements, namely:
- Memorandum of Understanding on Biodiversity Conservation and Management; and
- Memorandum of Understanding on the Reintroduction of Black Rhinoceros in the Republic of Chad.
Key to the Custodian Agreement are the following arrangements:
- South Africa will continue to own the black rhino while their offspring will be owned by the Republic of Chad.
- Chad (in case of a dire need for re-introduction of black rhinos to South Africa in the future) will make available the progeny/offspring of the black rhinos, either to supplement or re-establish South Africa’s black rhino population.
(3) The Government of the Republic of Chad paid for the transportation costs in line with the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Governments of South Africa and Chad.
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