CONTACT: Russell H. Williams
FOR RELEASE: December 7, 2000 Telephone: 336-879-7250
N.C. Zoo Veterinarian Returns From Cameroon Black Rhino Conference
ASHEBORO--When the dust had settled, the North Carolina Zoo had taken a leadership role in saving the Western black
rhinoceros from extinction and pledged $50,000 toward the first stage of the recovery project. The World Wildlife Fund-International
(WWF-I) also pledged to provide financial support to the program.
These events came about after a small cartel of the world’s leading authorities on rhinoceros conservation met in Cameroon, West
Africa, during the week of November 16. The group’s initial goal was to develop an emergency plan to yank the Western black
rhinoceros back from the brink of extinction. With fewer than 15 of the animals left, the Western black rhino holds the dubious
distinction of being Earth’s most endangered subspecies of rhinoceros.
The long-term goal of the proposed conservation program is to produce and maintain a genetically and demographically viable
population of at least 50 Western black rhinos within the animal’s historic range. The conservation plan calls for achieving this goal by
the year 2050. In order to succeed by that date, a secure population of at least five individual rhinos needs to be established by 2002,
and this group will need to be consolidated and expanding by the year 2006.
Dr. Mike Loomis, the N.C. Zoo’s chief veterinarian, was the only American invited to attend the rhinoceros conservation meeting,
which was chaired by Denis Koulaga, Cameroon’s Director of Wildlife and Protected Areas. Also attending the meeting were three
top level officials from Cameroon’s Ministry of Environment and Forests (MINEF) and five leaders from the International Union of
Conservation and Nature (IUCN), including Dr. Martin Brooks, the president of the African Rhinoceros Specialist Group and Dr.
Sue Mainkea of IUCN-International. Three ranking officials from the WWF also joined the group, including Dr. Holly Dublin from
WWF-I.
Initial reports about the Western black rhino’s current status were bleak, suggesting that the estimated world population of 15
animals, all living in Cameroon, may have to be adjusted downward. Group members agreed that a minimum of two male and three
female rhinos must be found and provided with protection if the rescue effort is to continue.
Consequently, stage one of the proposed project calls for sending a rhino expert into the field to track down all of Cameroon’s
remaining rhinos. Once an animal is found, it will be assigned armed guards to provide it with 24-hour-a-day protection. Meanwhile,
biologists will work with the Cameroon government to establish a rhinoceros sanctuary in prime rhinoceros habitat. Once this site is
selected and established, all remaining Western blacks will be transported to the new location, which will also be heavily guarded
against poachers. The cost for building and maintaining the proposed 270-km2 sanctuary for five years is estimated at $1.5 million.
The North Carolina Zoological Society has committed to raising at least $50,000 to provide anti-poaching equipment and
personnel for the rhinos and to provide veterinary services to ensure that the animals can be safely transported into the protection
zone when it is established. Dr. Loomis will assist with the translocation procedures.
The North Carolina Zoological Society is the private, non-profit support organization for the North Carolina Zoo and provides 100
percent of the funding for the zoo’s conservation programming in Cameroon. Individuals wishing to contribute to this project or
wanting to obtain Society membership information can call 336-879-7250. Information on this program and the zoo’s corresponding
program for Cameroon’s elephants is also available on the Web at www.nczooeletrack.org and www.nczoo.com .
The zoo is an agency of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Bill Holman, Secretary. Free zoo admission
is one of the many benefits of Zoo Society membership.
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