Throughout the Community Rhino Conservation Initiative's journey, the Malilangwe Trust and its team of expert ecologists and wildlife managers have guided and mentored us. Their input has been essential to mapping out how we will build a viable population of rhino in the area. Now that Thuza and Kusasa have been with us for 2 years, we know their grazing preferences and habits and can therefore better appreciate how the local land resources will support a growing population of rhinos.
The rhino monitoring and reporting our scouts do provides a strong foundation for some valuable research looking at grazing and behaviour patterns of white rhino on kalahari sands.
Dr Sarah Clegg and Dr Bruce Clegg visited CRCI in early May to provide support to our team on how best to collect data on vegetation and most effectively monitor the rhinos' grazing patterns. They showed us how to set up monitoring plots, and measure herbaceous layers as well as wood trees and woody shrubs. Thuza distracted us from the work and came to have a little look at what was going on!
Research opportunities are fundamental for us to keep expanding our knowledge and progress sustainably, and we are so grateful to have such passionate and expert ecologists to support us with this!
For more information about the Community Rhino Conservation Initiative, contact us here
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