It’s the middle of October and conditions are exceptionally hot and dry in Hwange National Park. It’s a time of the year when elephants must walk incredible distances between available water and food each day……
This elephant bull had accidentally stepped into a heavy PVC sewage pipe that was now wrapped around his lower front leg and he was struggling to walk…
The Dete Animal Rescue Trust (DART) was called to rescue and immobilize the old bull.
With so many elephants around, the safety of the team was our primary concern. A few curious elephants made some very, very close approaches while we were preparing the immobilizing drugs and again when we were removing the pipe from his leg… While we remained alert and vigilant however, the whole exercise continued to be safe for both the animals and the DART team.
After a few close encounters and some exciting moments with inquisitive elephants, the plastic pipe was removed from the immobilized elephant and the reversal drug (antidote) was administered.
Within two minutes the massive elephant bull was back on his feet and feeling much better without the foreign object wrapped around his leg….
SNARED GIRAFFE
Giraffe are not only the tallest land mammal but they're also perhaps THE most challenging wild animal to immobilize in Africa....
Apart from their size and unusual anatomy, giraffe are resistant to the M99 immobilizing drug and have a tendency to keep running once they’ve been darted...
This increases the risk of them dying from exhaustion and lack of oxygen, so to reduce this risk we use a higher dose of M99 to knock the giraffe down quickly which in turn increases the risk of respiratory depression and possible death... So it’s and very tricky balance!!
Join us on this challenging wildlife rescue and share in the joy and satisfaction when the poacher's snare is finally removed from the neck of this giraffe......
SNARED ZEBRA
On this occasion TWO separate male zebras in a small bachelor herd comprising five individuals were spotted with wires snares around their necks.
Getting caught in a poacher's snare is invariably a death sentence for most wild animals yet somehow these two young zebra stallions were able to fight and break free from the cruel devices.
We can only speculate on how many unfortunate wild animals are not as lucky as these zebra to have escaped !!
Darting a second zebra in a herd that had already been disturbed buy the earlier immobilization posed a challenge but luck was on our side and soon both snared zebras had been rescued and saved. This provided a very satisfying end another beautiful afternoon in Africa.
ABOUT
The Dete Animal Rescue Trust (DART) is a Legally Registered Wildlife Trust (No. MA350/2015) based in the small town of Dete bordering Hwange National Park.
DART was established in the year 2000 and for the last 20 years has been the primary first-responder called on by the National Park Authorities and local Safari Operators to dart and rescue snared or injured wild animals seen in or around Hwange National Park.
In addition to wildlife rescue, DART works in conjunction with the Ukhozi Wildlife Team who carry out snare-collection patrols in poaching hot-spots to find and remove poachers snares from the bush.
DART has established an excellent working relationship with the Park Authorities that involves regular deployment of anti-poaching Rangers, snare-removal patrols and the deployment of the Elite National Parks Tracker Dog Unit, to follow-up and locate poachers who illegally enter the Park.
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