MC and Michelle Report from Camp Moremi - 26 November 2007
Wow, it has been a great month in the history of Camp Moremi animal sightings. One hot morning, one of our guides Mod, was out tracking a cheetah when he came across a WHITE RHINO at Bodumatau in the Xakanaxa area. He radioed in with much excitement so he could share this incredible sighting with all the other guides. Guides made their way to the area quickly so that all the guests could see this amazing find! For all of our guides this is the first time in their lives that they have seen a rhino!
Wow, it has been a great month in the history of Camp Moremi animal sightings. One hot morning, one of our guides Mod, was out tracking a cheetah when he came across a WHITE RHINO at Bodumatau in the Xakanaxa area. He radioed in with much excitement so he could share this incredible sighting with all the other guides. Guides made their way to the area quickly so that all the guests could see this amazing find! For all of our guides this is the first time in their lives that they have seen a rhino!
Why is this so incredible?
The rhino population has decreased radically world wide over the years because of poaching for their valuable horns. It has become so bad that in some areas rhinos are now extinct. In Botswana the rhino population in the late 70’s was on the brink of extinction. The Botswana Government and the private sector realized this drastic decline and embarked on a program of breeding rhinos in captivity and re-introducing them into the wild. Between 1967 and 1980, ninety five rhinos were reintroduced into Moremi Game Reserve and Chobe National Park, sadly with this reintroduction poaching increased and with the lack of protection, this population of rhino was almost wiped out by the late 1980’s. Due to the decreased numbers, the Bamangwato Tribe decided to set aside an area for the protection of rhino, this is known today as the Khama Rhino Sanctuary. In the late 1990’s – early 2000’s a number of white and black rhinos were reintroduced into the Moremi Game Reserve. Up until 2007 Camp Moremi has not sighted any rhinos and that is why it was such an exciting and incredible day for all, the day Mod stumbled across the white rhino! Since that day we spotted the white rhino again at Dead Tree Island.
Personally, I was so delighted to see just the spoor of the rhino. I had to go all the way to Kruger National Park in South Africa to see my first rhino in the wild, so it brings me great joy to know that rhinos are once again roaming the Moremi Game Reserve. I hope many more opportunities will be had to see these spectacular animals but we all must remember their turbulent past and make every effort to ensure their continued protection.
The rhino population has decreased radically world wide over the years because of poaching for their valuable horns. It has become so bad that in some areas rhinos are now extinct. In Botswana the rhino population in the late 70’s was on the brink of extinction. The Botswana Government and the private sector realized this drastic decline and embarked on a program of breeding rhinos in captivity and re-introducing them into the wild. Between 1967 and 1980, ninety five rhinos were reintroduced into Moremi Game Reserve and Chobe National Park, sadly with this reintroduction poaching increased and with the lack of protection, this population of rhino was almost wiped out by the late 1980’s. Due to the decreased numbers, the Bamangwato Tribe decided to set aside an area for the protection of rhino, this is known today as the Khama Rhino Sanctuary. In the late 1990’s – early 2000’s a number of white and black rhinos were reintroduced into the Moremi Game Reserve. Up until 2007 Camp Moremi has not sighted any rhinos and that is why it was such an exciting and incredible day for all, the day Mod stumbled across the white rhino! Since that day we spotted the white rhino again at Dead Tree Island.
Personally, I was so delighted to see just the spoor of the rhino. I had to go all the way to Kruger National Park in South Africa to see my first rhino in the wild, so it brings me great joy to know that rhinos are once again roaming the Moremi Game Reserve. I hope many more opportunities will be had to see these spectacular animals but we all must remember their turbulent past and make every effort to ensure their continued protection.
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