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Very interesting Imberbe oddesy

Thanks Imberbe

How has the dung of black rhinos been used in an attempt to improve translocation success of the species?

This is a total guess. Would it be that before translocating they would collect dung from a midden of the animal that is being moved and then before the release they make "new" middens in the area of release to make the animal feel at home?

Sprocky, would be my guess as well.

I agree.

Just read a book on rhino by Eugene Joubert who worked for plenty of years studying black rhino in Namibia. He confirms that rhinos primary sense is its sense of smell. They have middens throughout their home range, and follow set paths, which is marked by smell. They use urine and dung to spread their scent.

So to get a rhino to settle, and this is true of white rhino as well, the rangers take their own dung (rhinos' ) and scatter it in the area they wish the rhino to settle. This helps the rhino to feel "at home" quicker, and to settle down easier. They do not create a midden, just scatter it around where the rhino will move.

Sprocky, bishop, Imberbe

It has been done a few times now, where the dung of the particular rhino is taken and then scattered around the new release site, usually up to a distance of about 2km. It was always beleived that this would put them more at ease but initially it was hoped that by sensing their own scents it would create a perception that they have an "established" territory and thereby limit their movements. Limiting their movements would prevent confrontation with other rhino and allow the translocated individuals a better chance at developing efficient foraging behaviours in an area that is known to be optimal. However with the use of the dung individuals dispersed more than expected.

Sprocky, you were close enough so your IT!

Well done sprocky.

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Thank you, all I can say is it was a good guess. I had never heard of this before.

Often when you look under a Mopane tree you will see lots of little brown things that look almost like very dried out raisins. What would this be?

I think it is nearly yearsend.
Sprocks is playing for father X-mas.

Thay are seeds?

The faeces of animals residing in the tree.... vervet monkeys?

As Sprocks will be on holiday.

Nearly right Tom.

Birds?

Baboons.

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Nope and nope.

Read carefully.