The once-extinct black rhino population in Mozambique is poised for a comeback after five decades thanks to a generous donation by South Africa.
Ten of these critically endangered rhinos were transported to Zinave National Park, according to the Peace Parks Foundation. The five males and five females will act as a "founder population" that promotes genetic diversity among the existing 37 rhinos introduced to the park in recent years.
"Establishing new founder populations is one of many critical interventions to secure the future of these species," said South African Minister of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment Dion George.
Conservation biologists prioritize genetic diversity when rewilding animals because it ensures the population avoids inbreeding that can stunt population growth over time. For black rhinos, in particular, other strategies — such as ex situ conservation, or breeding efforts outside natural habitats — prove difficult because of fertility issues that can arise with females, according to a recent study by the International Rhino Foundation.
Rewilding efforts are becoming increasingly common in Africa and other parts of the world, and they are a valuable element in preserving natural ecosystems. With the reintroduction of species that once thrived in these habitats, conservationists can promote biodiversity.
In turn, these diverse populations combat climate change through seed dispersal, which promotes new carbon-capturing plant life, and grazing, which discourages carbon-heavy wildfires.
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Rewilding efforts must run the gamut of the food chain to achieve these climate change-fighting ambitions, though. Trophic rewilding, for example, helps these ecosystems self-regulate by introducing species that promote top-down interactions between predators and prey.
For everyone involved in the Zinave National Park rewilding effort for the black rhino, this latest step is a significant feat years in the making.
"Supporting the rewilding of critically endangered species like the black rhino is at the heart of what we believe in — creating lasting impact for people and planet," said Clara Govier, managing director of People's Postcode Lottery, which helped finance the donation. "It's a powerful example of what we can achieve when we come together across borders to restore nature and protect our shared future."
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