Journal of Veterinary Health Science(JVHS)
ISSN: 2831-3887 | DOI: 10.33140/JVHS
Impact Factor: 0.762
Derek Lewitton
Attorney, Owner of Harmony Game, South Africa
Publications
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Research Article
Contribution of Private Game Ranching and Captive Bred Operations in South Africa to White Rhino Ceratotherium simum Species Survival Conservation
Author(s): Deon Furstenburg*, Michelle Otto, Pieter Van Niekerk and Derek Lewitton
The southern white rhinoceros (SWR) (Ceratotherium simum simum) is under global threat of extinction, due to poaching in protected areas and state-owned parks. The Kruger National Park (KNP), the stronghold for SWR, has suffered a population decline of over 75.0% since 2011, and an average annual decline of -10.2% from 2008 to 2020, a remaining population estimated at 2,607 animals by the end of 2020, and 2,458 animals left by the end of June 2022. On the contrary, SWR under private custodianship on rewilded agro-sustainable game ranches in South Africa [estimated at >8,000 animals, some of which are registered Captive Breeding Operations (CBO); assessed CBOs contained 2,882 rhinos with this study (Sep 2021)], increase with average annual growth performances of 9.0%. This increase has been attributed to effective security, provision of additional habitat, dispersal, and frequent ge.. Read More»