Stress Assessment of Black and Southern White Rhinoceroses

CRES's research site to study free-living rhinoceroses is at the iMfolozi Game Reserve Park in South Africa. This park supports one of the primary populations of both black and white rhinoceros in South Africa. Due to rhino population growth, rhinos are moved each year from this park to other reserves in South Africa in order to increase population size elsewhere. This translocation requires that rhinos be captured, placed in a holding facility, then moved to the new territory.

The veterinary staff in iMfolozi asked for the assistance of CRES in monitoring these rhinos during the translocation process. The study included 29 black and 26 white rhinos that were monitored on a weekly basis for reproductive and stress status by collecting and measuring hormone concentrations in fecal samples. Study results indicate a difference in the physiology of black and white rhino males during their stay. The black rhinos have significantly higher levels of corticoids at capture than the white rhinos. In fact, their corticoid profiles over time while in the holding facility are markedly different as well. The black rhinos reach corticoid levels 1/5th of capture levels by week 8. However, the white rhinos have a very low corticoid value at capture, seem to be unsettled during weeks one and two, and then return to baseline.

In addition, the study indicates that females captured during early pregnancy often experience miscarriage. To avoid pregnancy loss, the veterinarians now choose nonpregnant female rhinos for translocation. In a related study, testosterone of all the translocated male rhinos will be measured in order to evaluate the effect on reproductive status during this process.

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