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One of the ten white rhinos captured in Zimbabwe for export to the DRC had to be shot after it injured a game ranger while in captivity, a newspaper is reporting.
The white rhino attacked and seriously injured the ranger while being held in a quarantine pen in Hwange National Park, said the private Standard newspaper.
“We know that the rhino, which attacked a game ranger was shot and killed inside the quarantine facility,” said Sharon Hoole of pressure group, Bring Back Our Rhinos.
“This means that the other rhinos witnessed, and were exported unhealed of the trauma of witnessing this killing,” she added.
Strongly criticised
Zimbabwe is estimated to have around 800 black and white rhinos. Along with South Africa, Namibia and Kenya, Zimbabwe is home to around 98% of remaining white rhinos in the world.
The government announced in September it would export rhinos to the DRC. It’s believed some were captured in the Matobo National Park. The move was strongly criticised, given the high rate of poaching and insecurity in the DRC’s national parks.
But Zimbabwe’s state wildlife agency, ZimParks, said security checks were done before the export.
“Government was satisfied that the rhinos are going to be safe in DRC,” spokesperson Tinashe Farawo told the state-run Herald last month.
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