Out of Africa? Texans offer sanctuary to endangered rhinos
Reuters By Jim Forsyth
4 hours ago


By Jim Forsyth

SAN ANTONIO (Reuters) - In the Texas grassland, home to white-tailed deer and rattlesnakes, outdoorsman Charly Seale sees a vast sanctuary of open spaces that could be used to protect the wild African rhino from its biggest enemy - poachers in search of the animals' valuable horns.

Seale is part of an ambitious project organized by animal welfare groups in the United States and African countries to bring hundreds of orphaned baby southern white rhinos to the south Texas grasslands, whose climate and geography are similar to their native South African veld.

That is if governments will let them and the Texans can afford a transportation bill that could run tens of millions of dollars, all paid for by private donations.

"This is not for the faint of heart or for the faint of checkbook," said Seale, head of the Texas-based Exotic Wildlife Association's Second Ark Foundation, pointing out no public money will be sought for the effort, which is still in its early stages.

Rhino poaching hit a record in South Africa last year, home to almost all the rhinos in Africa, with 1,215 killed in 2014, according to South Africa's Environment Ministry.

International crime syndicates are after rhino horns, which are used in traditional Asian medicine and sell at prices higher than gold to the newly affluent in places such as Vietnam, where a belief, with no scientific basis, exists that they can cure cancer.

In January, South Africa said it had moved about 100 rhinos to neighboring states to combat poaching. In 2015, another 200 rhinos will be moved to what Environment Minister Edna Molewa said are "strongholds" where the animals will be safer from poaching. [ID:nL6N0V122X]

Some have ended up in Botswana, a country that allows the shooting of poachers on sight.

FORMIDABLE CHALLENGES

But what about Texas? If the plan goes forward - and there are many issues yet to be resolved - it would likely be the largest attempt outside of Africa to move rhinos out of harm's way.

The South African Environment Ministry says it has yet to receive a formal request for export but added that strict criteria under international endangered species agreements would have to be met, including zoo accreditation, standards of care and record keeping.

South Africa is home to about 20,000 rhinos, but under the Texas plan, called Project 1,000, far fewer rhinos would likely be approved for export to the U.S. state. Africa has two different species of rhinos: white, which number about 20,000, and black, whose population is about 5,000, according to the website savetherhino.org.

The Second Ark Foundation, which has worked to preserve the African addax and the scimitar-horned Oryx, is working with South African wildlife organizations to handle the logistics.

"There is a lot of red tape on both sides and there would be a need to quarantine the animals," Seale said. "Most of the rhinos that would be transferred are orphan, baby rhinos."

The challenges are formidable. Most of the rhinos would be under three years old and younger animals would have to be fed milk by bottle. They are typically darted in South Africa, and would then be transported by truck and shipped as air cargo.

Rhinos are not the best of travelers. Their health could be put in jeopardy by a long trip and airplanes can only move a handful at a time. But if it goes according to plan, the rhinos would be housed on ranches in south or southwest Texas that can run in size to 100,000 acres-plus (40,000 ha-plus).

The rhinos would be well guarded, with their DNA sequences stored in a database and micro chips placed in their horns while they are kept under surveillance at the ranches, many equipped with helicopters to keep an eye on the animals.

If things go well in Texas and South Africa can put a lid on poaching, the Lone Star-raised rhinos could eventually be returned to Africa. None would be hunted in Texas, said outdoorsman Alan Warren, who is part of the Texas group.

"It's not about hunting, it is about preserving and saving the species from certain annihilation in South Africa," Warren said.

(Writing by Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Jill Serjeant and Steve Olofsky)

i'm surprised they are only considering white rhino, the black rhino is in far worse shape as a species.

So they would be safe from poachers in South Texas?

quote:

So they would be safe from poachers in South Texas?

In a word Yes.

Again, as was stated in the earlier discussion on this subject, there are Two Solutions to the whole Rhino situation.

A. Do whatever is possible/available to try and save the species.

B. Stand back do nothing and have future generations of humans whose only idea of what a Rhino was is from Museum specimens.

The African countries have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that they can not protect the species, and none of the rest of the world can exert enough force on China and other countries to end the trade in wildlife products such as rhino horn.

To me it seems the choices are pretty cut and dried, make the effort to save the species or set back and let them go extinct.

quote:

So they would be safe from poachers in South Texas?

Probably not totally, but a 1000% better than where they are.
Texas takes poaching very serious & you don't have a corrupt govt. covering for the criminals.

I think it would be great!! Game fences would have to be stepped up!!

Ed

quote:

Originally posted by bwana cecil:

quote:

So they would be safe from poachers in South Texas?

Probably not totally, but a 1000% better than where they are.
Texas takes poaching very serious & you don't have a corrupt govt. covering for the criminals.

I suspect if you drop 1000 rhinos into south-west Texas you might develop quite the poaching problem.

quote:

Originally posted by Matt Graham:
So they would be safe from poachers in South Texas?

Sure they would. Eveything is safer in south Texas!

quote:

quote:
Originally posted by bwana cecil:
quote:
So they would be safe from poachers in South Texas?

Probably not totally, but a 1000% better than where they are.
Texas takes poaching very serious & you don't have a corrupt govt. covering for the criminals.
I suspect if you drop 1000 rhinos into south-west Texas you might develop quite the poaching problem.

Now Matt, no sense trying to argue changed conditions and incentives....it's Texas, so obviously they have zero problems with violent organized crime.

For the record, I'm not against the attempt, I just think that you can't just assume the poaching wouldn't be a problem.

quote:

Originally posted by Matt Graham:

quote:

Originally posted by bwana cecil:

quote:

So they would be safe from poachers in South Texas?

Probably not totally, but a 1000% better than where they are.
Texas takes poaching very serious & you don't have a corrupt govt. covering for the criminals.

I suspect if you drop 1000 rhinos into south-west Texas you might develop quite the poaching problem.

You'd be better off getting caught with a 1000 pounds of cocaine than poaching a rhino on private property in Texas.

Most of South Texas wouldn't work for a project like that due to oil and gas exploration. A big chunk of West Texas is the same. Way too many people involved in that. Not sure what kind of temperatures a rhino can withstand. Big Bend area might get too cold.

I would like to see the expression on an "illegals" face as he came down a sendero and that tank came rolling out of the brush.

quote:

I suspect if you drop 1000 rhinos into south-west Texas you might develop quite the poaching problem.

First off, there would not be any "Dumping" of any number of rhinos just anywhere in the state.

They would be placed on ranches with the facilities required to house the animals/breed the animals, and keep them safe.

Billy Fred "Bubba" Wingnut, with his 50 acres of fenced pasture won't be one if the facilities getting rhinos.

No facility getting the rhinos is going to pat them on the ass and turn them loose on 1000 acres of mesquite pasture with a barb wire fence around it.

Trespassers in Texas have an all too frequent habit of simply disappearing, especially on the larger ranches in the more rural areas, and that is not a joke or myth.

The point is, something needs to be put in action pretty soon, because if it isn't, they will become extinct in Africa and the only ones to blame will be the people that drug their feet instead of taking action.

Bring on the poachers, we have a long history of dealing with cattle rustlers, horse thieves and other similar garbage. My guess is that many would undoubtedly be shot resisting arrest. Not saying there would be no poaching, I am just saying that I would not want to be a poacher that is caught in Webb County, Duval County, etc.

quote:

Originally posted by Mike Benedum:


You'd be better off getting caught with a 1000 pounds of cocaine than poaching a rhino on private property in Texas.

You'd be better off getting caught in the bush with the drugs than the rhino horn in South Africa too - punishment may be immediate and permanent!

quote:

Originally posted by Crazyhorseconsulting:

quote:

I suspect if you drop 1000 rhinos into south-west Texas you might develop quite the poaching problem.

First off, there would not be any "Dumping" of any number of rhinos just anywhere in the state.

They would be placed on ranches with the facilities required to house the animals/breed the animals, and keep them safe.

Billy Fred "Bubba" Wingnut, with his 50 acres of fenced pasture won't be one if the facilities getting rhinos.

No facility getting the rhinos is going to pat them on the ass and turn them loose on 1000 acres of mesquite pasture with a barb wire fence around it.

Trespassers in Texas have an all too frequent habit of simply disappearing, especially on the larger ranches in the more rural areas, and that is not a joke or myth.

The point is, something needs to be put in action pretty soon, because if it isn't, they will become extinct in Africa and the only ones to blame will be the people that drug their feet instead of taking action.

Dumping were your words, not mine, why use the quotes?

quote:

Dumping were your words, not mine, why use the quotes?

Excuse my ignorance.

I took your statement from a purely Texan/American viewpoint!

quote:

I suspect if you drop 1000 rhinos into south-west Texas you might develop quite the poaching problem.

I really do not see much difference in the terms Drop and Dump.

Point remains, either all avenues possibly available to keep rhinos from becoming extinct are explored, or the inevitable is allowed to happen.

quote:

Originally posted by Lhook7:
Out of Africa? Texans offer sanctuary to endangered rhinos
Reuters By Jim Forsyth
4 hours ago


By Jim Forsyth

SAN ANTONIO (Reuters) - In the Texas grassland...



Some have ended up in Botswana, a country that allows the shooting of poachers on sight.

If this is true, outfitters in Botswana are missing out on a golden opportunity.

This was tried 30 years ago by Game Coin. Never really worked...

quote:

Originally posted by Crazyhorseconsulting:

quote:

Dumping were your words, not mine, why use the quotes?

Excuse my ignorance.

I took your statement from a purely Texan/American viewpoint!

quote:

I suspect if you drop 1000 rhinos into south-west Texas you might develop quite the poaching problem.

I really do not see much difference in the terms Drop and Dump.

Point remains, either all avenues possibly available to keep rhinos from becoming extinct are explored, or the inevitable is allowed to happen.

Why do you think the resources couldn't be used to protect them in Africa... the same resources that would be used to bring them to the USA, house them and protect them there?

You're right, the quality of the law enforcement personnel, surveillance equipment and the like is the same in Africa as in the US. Probably the same with infrastructure, medical care and a host of other items. We should all have understood that.

quote:

Originally posted by Matt Graham:

quote:

Originally posted by Crazyhorseconsulting:

quote:

Dumping were your words, not mine, why use the quotes?

Excuse my ignorance.

I took your statement from a purely Texan/American viewpoint!

quote:

I suspect if you drop 1000 rhinos into south-west Texas you might develop quite the poaching problem.

I really do not see much difference in the terms Drop and Dump.

Point remains, either all avenues possibly available to keep rhinos from becoming extinct are explored, or the inevitable is allowed to happen.

Why do you think the resources couldn't be used to protect them in Africa... the same resources that would be used to bring them to the USA, house them and protect them there?

Seriously? I mean.... Seriously?

Look at it this way... CAN rhinos in Africa be protected long-term, or is it a lost cause?

Putting such a valuable resource in the cartels' back yard is dangerous, IMHO. They will poach them if they can.

Yes, we have sophisticated surveillance equipment, etc., but we do not, and will not, have shoot on sight orders that are common in Africa.

I don't think rhinos will be safer in South Texas.

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
You're right, the quality of the law enforcement personnel, surveillance equipment and the like is the same in Africa as in the US. Probably the same with infrastructure, medical care and a host of other items. We should all have understood that.

My point is that the billions of US$ that it would take to complete this US project - could well be spent on improving those services in their homeland - law enforcement, fencing, surveillance equipment, inexpensive manpower.

Billions? Seriously? Sometimes I think you just like to argue for the sake of arguing.

Well how much does it cost to relocate just one rhino from RSA to the USA and then house it and protect it long term... outside of a zoo that is?

My apologies for having a different opinion Mike. No need to have a cry about it.

At least try to have an informed opinion as opposed to just being contrarian. But whatever.

Billions? Seriously? Your dollars must be worth a lot less than ours.

sorry again if I have offended you Mike.

quote:

Originally posted by Matt Graham:

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
You're right, the quality of the law enforcement personnel, surveillance equipment and the like is the same in Africa as in the US. Probably the same with infrastructure, medical care and a host of other items. We should all have understood that.

My point is that the billions of US$ that it would take to complete this US project - could well be spent on improving those services in their homeland - law enforcement, fencing, surveillance equipment, inexpensive manpower.

Great theory! Dumping billions into African governments has always worked so well in the past. Fantastic idea!

quote:

Originally posted by Lhook7:

Great theory! Dumping billions into African governments has always worked so well in the past. Fantastic idea!

Governments? Are there not privately-owned conservation projects in Africa?

quote:

Originally posted by Matt Graham:

quote:

Originally posted by Lhook7:

Great theory! Dumping billions into African governments has always worked so well in the past. Fantastic idea!

Governments? Are there not privately-owned conservation projects in Africa?

I don't know. Please do some research and let me know if your theory stands.

quote:

Originally posted by Lhook7:

quote:

Originally posted by Matt Graham:

quote:

Originally posted by Lhook7:

Great theory! Dumping billions into African governments has always worked so well in the past. Fantastic idea!

Governments? Are there not privately-owned conservation projects in Africa?

I don't know. Please do some research and let me know if your theory stands.

I support Matt's line of questioning.

I also agree with Matt's line of questioning.

I stand to be corrected but second generation rhino born outside of Africa do not breed very well. The Chinese are apparently attempting to do this with limited success. The only thing that is going to save the rhino is legalized trade (the same goes for elephant and ivory) We (The Conservation Imperative) have been involved in lobbying the South African government to go to CITES with a proposal to legalize the trade in rhino horn. To watch a shortened version of the 90 minute movie click on this link:

http://theconservationimperative.com/?p=49

quote:

Well how much does it cost to relocate just one rhino from RSA to the USA and then house it and protect it long term... outside of a zoo that is?

It will cost a lot of money, deal is a lot of folks that can afford it are willing to step forward.

Having a different opinion, is healthy in spite of what some people believe, and differing/contrary views can/do or should cause reasonable people to stop and think of aspects of a proposed undertaking that they may not have thought of.

There are lots of aspects setting up such a program as this that have to be considered and addressed. While I firmly believe it is doable and will help preserve rhinos as a species on the planet, I don't view it as The Silver Bullet.

The best case scenario would be for the African countries to get their business sorted out and make a concerted effort continent wide to take all measures necessary to stop poachers.

Along with the World figuring out a way to put enough pressure on China and the other Asian countries/cultures to stop all trade in rhino horn and all supposed "Medicinal" animal parts. Unfortunately I do not see either of those happening.

Will there be problems with a program such as moving those animals to Texas, YES. Is there a problem with not trying to do something to ensure the survival of the species, Yes.

Is the species going to become extinct in Africa due to lack of effort or concern on the part of the governments in the countries where they exist, Yes.

To me the question is, do humans take any and all avenues available in an attempt to save the species or simply stand by and watch the species become extinct?

Well the current approach is working so well I do not know why anyone would consider alternatives. As for pumping US dollars into corruption ravaged African countries to save the rhino, it would be interesting to see how much out of each dollar actually made its way through all the hands and fingers into actual impact in the field. Experience would suggest damn little.

quote:

Originally posted by Crazyhorseconsulting:

quote:

Well how much does it cost to relocate just one rhino from RSA to the USA and then house it and protect it long term... outside of a zoo that is?

It will cost a lot of money, deal is a lot of folks that can afford it are willing to step forward.

Having a different opinion, is healthy in spite of what some people believe, and differing/contrary views can/do or should cause reasonable people to stop and think of aspects of a proposed undertaking that they may not have thought of.

There are lots of aspects setting up such a program as this that have to be considered and addressed. While I firmly believe it is doable and will help preserve rhinos as a species on the planet, I don't view it as The Silver Bullet.

The best case scenario would be for the African countries to get their business sorted out and make a concerted effort continent wide to take all measures necessary to stop poachers.

Along with the World figuring out a way to put enough pressure on China and the other Asian countries/cultures to stop all trade in rhino horn and all supposed "Medicinal" animal parts. Unfortunately I do not see either of those happening.

Will there be problems with a program such as moving those animals to Texas, YES. Is there a problem with not trying to do something to ensure the survival of the species, Yes.

Is the species going to become extinct in Africa due to lack of effort or concern on the part of the governments in the countries where they exist, Yes.

To me the question is, do humans take any and all avenues available in an attempt to save the species or simply stand by and watch the species become extinct?

'Trying all options' isn't always recommended and can be counter-productive. I am not against the idea, I don't know enough about it, I just think you would need to look carefully at the cost, against the realistic long-term benefits to the animals.

The final paragraph in the article sticks in the craw a little - the guy assumes that the rhino in southern Africa is doomed. That is just his opinion.

Poaching CAN be stopped - if we assume that it cant then what the hell is all this anti-poaching effort for?

quote:

The African countries have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that they can not protect the species, and none of the rest of the world can exert enough force on China and other countries to end the trade in wildlife products such as rhino horn.

crazyhorse.
Do you know the people that governs Africa and South Africa, they give a shit about any species, let alone the wellbeing and safety of Rhinos. I'm angry yes, we lost 4 in the last 3 weeks.

Vent your spleen any direction you choose, facts are the African countries either can not or are not doing whatever is necessary to protect the rhinos.

The loss of rhinos is NOT just Africa's loss, but the Worlds loss.

Does not matter whether a person wants to hunt one or simply see one.

Either everything possible is done to save the species or it isn't!

quote:

Originally posted by Matt Graham:

quote:

Originally posted by Crazyhorseconsulting:

quote:

Well how much does it cost to relocate just one rhino from RSA to the USA and then house it and protect it long term... outside of a zoo that is?

It will cost a lot of money, deal is a lot of folks that can afford it are willing to step forward.

Having a different opinion, is healthy in spite of what some people believe, and differing/contrary views can/do or should cause reasonable people to stop and think of aspects of a proposed undertaking that they may not have thought of.

There are lots of aspects setting up such a program as this that have to be considered and addressed. While I firmly believe it is doable and will help preserve rhinos as a species on the planet, I don't view it as The Silver Bullet.

The best case scenario would be for the African countries to get their business sorted out and make a concerted effort continent wide to take all measures necessary to stop poachers.

Along with the World figuring out a way to put enough pressure on China and the other Asian countries/cultures to stop all trade in rhino horn and all supposed "Medicinal" animal parts. Unfortunately I do not see either of those happening.

Will there be problems with a program such as moving those animals to Texas, YES. Is there a problem with not trying to do something to ensure the survival of the species, Yes.

Is the species going to become extinct in Africa due to lack of effort or concern on the part of the governments in the countries where they exist, Yes.

To me the question is, do humans take any and all avenues available in an attempt to save the species or simply stand by and watch the species become extinct?

'Trying all options' isn't always recommended and can be counter-productive. I am not against the idea, I don't know enough about it, I just think you would need to look carefully at the cost, against the realistic long-term benefits to the animals.

The final paragraph in the article sticks in the craw a little - the guy assumes that the rhino in southern Africa is doomed. That is just his opinion.

Poaching CAN be stopped - if we assume that it cant then what the hell is all this anti-poaching effort for?

Matt

IMHO the major problem in africa is the Government involvement in poaching.

thats whats wrong with your position--
and as we have seen in africa we are only one step from a political directive to stop all private efforts.

If you don't believe that government officials in RSA , ZIM bots, Tanz, and Kenya --just to name a few aren't involved in the poaching then you need to do some research.

quote:

Originally posted by Sean Russell:

quote:

Originally posted by Matt Graham:
'Trying all options' isn't always recommended and can be counter-productive. I am not against the idea, I don't know enough about it, I just think you would need to look carefully at the cost, against the realistic long-term benefits to the animals.

The final paragraph in the article sticks in the craw a little - the guy assumes that the rhino in southern Africa is doomed. That is just his opinion.

Poaching CAN be stopped - if we assume that it cant then what the hell is all this anti-poaching effort for?

Matt

IMHO the major problem in africa is the Government involvement in poaching.

thats whats wrong with your position--
and as we have seen in africa we are only one step from a political directive to stop all private efforts.

If you don't believe that government officials in RSA , ZIM bots, Tanz, and Kenya --just to name a few aren't involved in the poaching then you need to do some research.

I understand that! Nothing is secure - but as others have pointed out - trans-locating the animals to other 'wild' foreign areas may not work either, may have no security.

Some African animals have been moved to the Australian 'wild' too and they simply did not survive. Doesn't make sense but it happened. No one knows why they all died while others did not. Kudu died, eland survived. Zebra died one by one. Who knows what will happen to the relocated rhino but as Zig suggested the don't fare that well. Australia is geologically and biologically much closer to Africa than North America.