I believe there would be great hunter demand for the black rhino if it were introduced into a hunter friendly country, and the population nursed up to huntable numbers.

Anyone have an idea why this hasn't been done?

A very few have been shot in RSA in the past two or three years. $200,000 to 250,000 US each if I recall. One even appeared in the trophy gallery on The Hunting Report website.

Greg Williamson shot one a couple of years ago at Natal. But, there are two major problems with this becoming wide-spread:

1. They are few and VERY expensive. I've heard numbers in the $150-250K range as an average and that's a lotta bux!

2. No American can import the trophy until/unless the USF&W Service change their minds. This is unlikely to change for decades if ever despite the best efforts of John J. Jackson III.

I've had the privilege of seeing a Black Rhino in the bush (that's a pretty interesting story -- he was literally eating my Leopard blind in the middle of the night), but I expect that's as close as I will ever get to harvesting one.

I get a kick about how much more dangerous the Black is vs the White. in 07 I hunted (sucessfully) my Leopard with Norman Crooks. He had managed the Black Rino project in Zim prior to becoming a full time PH. Well after I had my Leopard in the salt, Norm ask if I would like to stalk and try to see a Black Rino and of course I said yes. Well the next morning we were off to find some Black Rino. In the group were Norm, myself 2 trackers, an APPY and his (Norm) 5 yr old grandson. We stalked these Black Rino for a couple of hrs before getting a good look at them in the thick bush. Now the interesting thing about this was - we were unarmed. I am sure if we would have been in GREAT danger he would not have taken his 5 yr old grandson and we would have been armed. JME

Help save the black rhino
2009-08-20 14:30

Durban - The Black Rhino Expansion Range Project (BREP) is inviting landowners to help them increase the number of black rhinos and expand their range in South Africa.

The World Wildlife Fund and Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife, who run the project, are looking for partners across South Africa to help preserve the rhinos.

"There are so many black rhinos in KwaZulu-Natal nature reserves they are literally bumping into each other. This is going to affect the reserves ecologically and hinder the population's growth," said BREP project leader, Dr Jacques Flammand.

He said despite the fact that there was no more space for black rhinos in nature reserves in KwaZulu-Natal, the animal was still under threat of extinction.

He said the organisation is now looking for land owners elsewhere in the country who are willing to become "custodians of the black rhinos".

"Currently we only have 1 500 black rhinos in the country and we want to increase that to 3 000," said Flammand.

He said landholders who want to participate can include game ranchers, farmers, traditional authorities, communities, foresters, commercial game reserves and mining concerns.

Selection criteria

"Through the project we also hope to make black communities real stakeholders in conservation, which is very important for the long-term security of the black rhino and other endangered species," he said.

He also said that interested parties with suitable land, or those willing to join their neighbours in creating a larger area by letting down their fences, are invited to submit expressions of interest.

"Failure to meet a number of selection criteria that have been drawn up can disqualify an area from consideration," said Flammand.

He said it is important that the land be within the historical range of the black rhino sub-species in South Africa and provide a suitable habitat with no other black rhino present on the property, that it have adequate grazing and a lack of human disturbance and that it is able to carry at least 70 black rhinos.

He said anyone interested must contact him by August 31 on 033 845 1856, by faxing him at 033 845 1699, or by email at jflammand@wwf.org.za.

The project is funded by WWF Netherlands, WWF South Africa and the Mazda Wildlife Fund.


- African Eye

Hmm, that doesn't seem the way to go about it. Are they going to pay these black landowners in perpetuity (if at all)? Why would a poor landowner want a massive plant-eating animal on his land?

Also, how many acres of land does it take to support one black rhino? And they want black landowners who have enough land to support at least 70? How many is that I wonder?

Many are on private land owned by wealthy people. For example, in the RSA there is a ranch called Mauricedale that has a number of them roaming around on its 20,000+ acres. The first of the black rhino taken in the RSA was taken there. Peter Thormahlen was the PH. The client did not wish to disclose his name.

This hunt was offered to me. I didn't want to do it as I feared it was not going to be sporting. It was insanely expensive and I could not import it even as a donation to a museum.

One of those black rhinos in mauricedale chased Peter T. and me up a tree and kept us there for about 30 minutes. Later he stalked us while we were chasing a kudu, bursting out of the brush about 5 feet in front of us. It's on video, lots of cussing and tree climbing.

The black is much more agressive than the white. Have been chased around a couple times by black rhino. Hunted a white and really was not impressed with the hunt. A cape buff is much more fun. would like to have a go at a black but that kind of money is way too far out of my comfort zone. Even if I could afford it there is no way I could or would justify that kind of money just to say I shot one. As far as dangerous or stalking them unarmed. Anh animal especially that big and strong can be dangerous if the mood strikes them. they can be as cantankerous as any one of us and should always be treated with respect. I think a lot of the rhino become complacent since they are so protected and becme somewhat acclimated to people. Unless of course they are under some sort of presseure.

One recently was taken in Namibia by a Russian hunter. Cost: $180,000

Generally, I agree with the comments about the black being more aggressive. However that is not always the case. We had a white charge us 15 years ago. I dumped it at 8 feet. There is zero doubt in my mind that it was intent on killing me.

Having said that, most of the whites are about like hunting dairy cows.