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BLACK RHINO BREEDING AND CONSERVATION PROGRAMME
IMIRE SAFARI RANCH, WEST OF HARARE, ZIMBABWE

On this fantastic project, situated in Zimbabwe's rolling bushveld, volunteers work towards restoring the black rhino population to its previous glory. This highly successful breeding programme aims to reintroduce as many black rhino back into their natural habitat as possible. Volunteers will have the opportunity to explore the wonders that our 10000 acre private reserve and conservancy has to offer whilst helping to raise and handle the baby rhino that will be released into the wild. The reserve also has a large elephant population that volunteers work alongside.

     
  Location: IMIRE SAFARI RANCH, WEST OF HARARE, ZIMBABWE Dates: Any date throughout the year  
  Fees:
£1,395 - 4 weeks

Payment: £180 deposit at time of booking – balance of project fee due 8 weeks before departure  
  Reference: AV026  

General Information

The latter half of the 20th century was a hard time for the black rhino. Of all the rhino species the black rhino saw the most dramatic decline in population numbers. The population is estimated to have declined by 96% between the years of 1970 and 1992. Since the late 1980s there has been a global initiative to restore and support the black rhino population.

During the late 1980’s, at the peak of the rhino-poaching era in Southern Africa, the Department of National Parks and Wildlife decided to remove the remaining 120 black rhino out of the danger zones of the National Parks and into the Intensive Protection Zones of Conservancies.  Imire Safari Ranch offered their expertise and was awarded 7 baby rhino between the ages of 4 and 6 months; 3 males Noddy, Fumbi, Sprinter and 4 females Cuckoo, Mvu, D.J. and Amber.  Initially all efforts were centred around stabilising the calves condition, introducing them to the correct milk formula, and generally adapting them to their new environment.   All 7 calves have been hand-raised on a bottle for at least 8 years. The rhino were kept on the milk formula for that length of time to continue the human contact and of course as a comforter. They have been raised together as a semi-domesticated herd.  The black rhino have since bred successfully ….the total births on Imire are 13.  All in all Imire Safari Ranch have handled a total of 32 black rhino since the project began in 1987.

Ten rhino have been returned back to the Matusadona National Park in Zimbabwe. As the rhino adjusted to their new environment, so they were released. The females have bred successfully within the Park.

Imire’s black rhino project continues. At present we have 6 rhino; 3 breeding adults and 3 sub adults on the ranch: one mature male, Sprinter… and two pregnant females, Amber and DJ, as well as an adorable nursery of 3 youngsters who are hand fed and handled daily at close quarters. The rhino are penned in a boma nightly and during the day are taken out onto the ranch with their handlers to browse. Noddy, the alpha male, has been recently exported to Botswana to a Conservancy where they had no male rhino to serve their females.

The aim at Imire is to continue the breeding programme on an intensive scale.  Staff believe that the policy of removing the calves from their mothers at 8 months has been successful as the mother then reunites to breed with the herd again. The calves, once weaned, are monitored and then released back into the National Parks. This has helped boost the numbers tremendously.

Imire Safari Ranch is honoured to be the custodians of Zimbabwe’s black rhino, and are proud that the breeding station is successful.

Volunteer Involvement with the Rhino:

  • Learn to handle the rhino
  • Clean out pens and gather the evening browse
  • Walk with the rhino and spend quality time with these wonderful animals in order to collect valuable data on their behaviour and ecology
  • Interaction with the baby rhino providing the contact and security they need during this important time in their lives

  • Early morning rhino / elephant feeds and handling

Duties with the elephants will include:

  • Handling and checking on the training of the elephant
  • Pen cleaning and feeding
  • Chores such as, wood collection, ploughing, and farm work using the elephant
  • Elephant patrols and snare sweeps
  • Observing the elephant in their natural habitat and spending valuable time in their company
  • Help teach cooperative elephant handling
  • Gathering research and data
  • Elephant back safaris - camping out in the bush – a treat for you at the end of your stay

Additional activities might include:

  • Animal monitoring, game counts and observation
  • Research eg recording breeding successes and failures
  • Handling of orphan animals and pen cleaning
  • Lion, hyena and crocodile feeding
  • Plant and tree identication, tree planing and bush clearance
  • Buidling and maintaining bush camps
  • Maintenance of game fences, roads and fireguards and pens
  • Anti poaching activities

  • Mapping and photographing species in their herds

During your stay you will have the opportunity to enjoy an excursion to some of the other spectacular spots that Zimbabwe has to offer. These trips are also a great time for volunteers to interact and get to know each other better. The exact itinerary of the expedition can be arranged when you arrive in Zimbabwe, but will usually include a visit to the lion breeding and rehabilitation programme in Gweru as well as Hwange National Park and Victoria Falls. Please note, this is not included in your project fee and volunteers who would like to join this trip will need to pay for this whilst on the project.  

"Please pass on to everyone what a wonderful time Georgia had in Zimbabwe. It has been a life-changing experience. I was a little concerned before the trip but you seem to have got the balance of genuine adventure alongside common-sense safety just right and the things she learnt have given her a new perspective. I would thoroughly recommend it as a Gap year experience. Many thanks"
Jan Wilson-Ward [for her daughter Georgia, UK. June 2006]

Highlights

  • Volunteers live in close contact with black rhino, elephants, buffalo and all the other species of wild animal on the 10,000 acre conservancy where they will witness incredible animal relationships, hear their sounds, record valuable information, and learn the appreciation of simplicity from the surrounding rural communities.
  • Be a part of a world renowned programme to save this ancient animal from extinction. You will play an important role in rehabilitating these endangered animals back into their natural environment.

  • Experience the African bush in a very special way on this private reserve. Explore the savannah grasslands on horseback or whilst riding on African Elephants

Support

Support and advice is available from your Project Managers whilst on the project and from the UK Amanzi Travel Team.

Find out more about Amanzi Travel support

Orientation

A comprehensive information pack will be sent to all our volunteers upon booking their volunteer placement and further advice and information will be provided via telephone and email before departure. A full orientation will be provided when you arrive at the project by your project coordinator.

  • Introduction to all senior camp staff including Guides, Handlers of elephants, lions and horses, Heads of departments and Assistants.
  • Familiarization of the ranch – including the park boundaries, internal roads and tracks and some of the wildlife species.
  • Further information on the rhino breeding
  • How to conduct “Snare sweeps” and “Boundary patrols”.
  • For those of you who have not ridden horses before you may also spend time being instructed in the basics of horse riding. Should the project managers decide that you are suitable and capable then horses may possibly be used for some of your duties.

Accommodation and Meals

  • You will be staying in comfortable twin or triple room accommodation in a thatched volunteer farmhouse near a lake.
  • Two communal sitting rooms with fire places are where everyone meets in the evening to relax and talk about the days events
  • A prolific vegetable garden is maintained by the volunteers
  • Volunteers have separate clean shower and toilet facilities
  • Volunteers will recieve three meals a day.

Getting There

Fly directly into Harare International Airport where you will be met on arrival and transferred to the ranch (transfer time to the ranch is approximately 2 hours) (There may be a number of ways to reach your destination airport - for further information or advice please contact Amanzi Travel)

Project Fees

What is included

  • Project Fee: this entails financing that goes directly back into the project that you are involved with
  • Airport ransfers to and from Harare International Airport
  • Assistance in your projects and comprehensive orientation by guides
  • Full board and lodging which includes 3 meals a day
  • Unlimited tea, coffee and juice throughout the day
  • Weekly laundry service during your stay

  • The service of a cleaner to attend to your room

What is excluded

  • All items of a personal nature, such as curios, gifts, clothing (work and other)
  • Return flights to Harare International Airport
  • Email and telephone calls made during your placement (charged out at cost)
  • Any excursions over and above your planned itinerary in Zimbabwe e.g. visit to the Victoria Falls
  • Personal insurance cover for the duration of your placement, which is expected to include cover for repatriation
  • Any necessary visas

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