Call to Earth

Why airlifting rhinos upside down is critical to conservation

By Rebecca Cairns, CNN
5 minute read
Published 8:51 PM EDT, Wed March 17, 2021
To move critically endangered black rhinos away from poaching hotspots, conservationists sometimes airlift them upside down. While it might look uncomfortable, a <a href="https://meridian.allenpress.com/jwd/article-abstract/doi/10.7589/2019-08-202/451340/THE-PULMONARY-AND-METABOLIC-EFFECTS-OF-SUSPENSION" target="_blank" target="_blank">recent study</a> has revealed that this practice is better for rhino health than lying them down on stretchers. <br /><strong>Scroll through the gallery to learn more about upside-down rhino translocation.</strong>
To move critically endangered black rhinos away from poaching hotspots, conservationists sometimes airlift them upside down. While it might look uncomfortable, a recent study has revealed that this practice is better for rhino health than lying them down on stretchers.
Scroll through the gallery to learn more about upside-down rhino translocation.
Namibian Ministry of the Environment, Forestry and Tourism
Robin Radcliffe (left) and his team from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine suspended 12 black rhinos upside down to monitor the impact on their health. They were surprised to find that rhinos have higher blood oxygen levels when upside down, compared to lying on their side.
Robin Radcliffe (left) and his team from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine suspended 12 black rhinos upside down to monitor the impact on their health. They were surprised to find that rhinos have higher blood oxygen levels when upside down, compared to lying on their side.
Robin W. Radcliffe
This is good news for conservationists, as lying on a stretcher is a more costly, difficult and time-consuming way to move rhinos by air.
This is good news for conservationists, as lying on a stretcher is a more costly, difficult and time-consuming way to move rhinos by air.
Pete Morkel
Strapping the ropes to the rhino's legs for an upside-down airlift translocation takes just minutes, says Radcliffe -- much faster than the alternative stretcher method.
Strapping the ropes to the rhino's legs for an upside-down airlift translocation takes just minutes, says Radcliffe -- much faster than the alternative stretcher method.
Gallo Images/Shutterstock
But the most common way to move rhinos is still by truck. Jacques Flamand (pictured) says airlifts are only used to remove rhinos from remote areas. Once they're in an accessible location, the rest of the journey will be made by road.
But the most common way to move rhinos is still by truck. Jacques Flamand (pictured) says airlifts are only used to remove rhinos from remote areas. Once they're in an accessible location, the rest of the journey will be made by road.
Martin Harvey/Shutterstock
Whether moving by road or air, the rhino needs to be sedated. A small helicopter darts the rhino with a tranquilizer that's 1,000 times stronger than morphine.
Whether moving by road or air, the rhino needs to be sedated. A small helicopter darts the rhino with a tranquilizer that's 1,000 times stronger than morphine.
Tony Karumba/AFP/Getty Images
If being moved by road, the rhino -- heavily sedated, but still standing -- is guided into a crate for road transport. It's a lengthy process that involves a lot of rangers.
If being moved by road, the rhino -- heavily sedated, but still standing -- is guided into a crate for road transport. It's a lengthy process that involves a lot of rangers.
Tony Karumba/AFP/Getty Images
But moving rhinos isn't without risks. The potent tranquilizer already reduces blood oxygen levels -- which is why it's so important to find out which flight position is better for breathing.
But moving rhinos isn't without risks. The potent tranquilizer already reduces blood oxygen levels -- which is why it's so important to find out which flight position is better for breathing.
Robin W. Radcliffe
Once sedated, the rhino is fitted with a radio transmitter chip, so conservationists can monitor its welfare at its new location.
Once sedated, the rhino is fitted with a radio transmitter chip, so conservationists can monitor its welfare at its new location.
Martin Harvey/Gallo Images/Getty Images
Rhinos are moved to protect them from poaching and to diversify the gene pool, so that closely related animals don't breed with each other.
Rhinos are moved to protect them from poaching and to diversify the gene pool, so that closely related animals don't breed with each other.
WWF / Micky Wiswedel
Black rhinos were nearly hunted to extinction, with numbers falling below 2,400 in the 1990s. Since then, careful conservation efforts have seen the population more than double.
Black rhinos were nearly hunted to extinction, with numbers falling below 2,400 in the 1990s. Since then, careful conservation efforts have seen the population more than double.
WWF / Micky Wiswedel
Africa is home to two rhino species. The white rhino (pictured) has a bigger population than the black rhino, with around 18,000 remaining in the wild. While white rhinos can also be transported upside down, they are nearly twice as heavy as black rhinos so they are airlifted less often.
Africa is home to two rhino species. The white rhino (pictured) has a bigger population than the black rhino, with around 18,000 remaining in the wild. While white rhinos can also be transported upside down, they are nearly twice as heavy as black rhinos so they are airlifted less often.
Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket/Getty Images
Using airlifts to move rhinos enables access to remote areas that are difficult to reach by road, like Namibia's northern Kunene region. The region lost its black rhino population to poaching about 25 years ago, says Radcliffe -- but Namibia's first rhino airlift enabled the animal to return.
Using airlifts to move rhinos enables access to remote areas that are difficult to reach by road, like Namibia's northern Kunene region. The region lost its black rhino population to poaching about 25 years ago, says Radcliffe -- but Namibia's first rhino airlift enabled the animal to return.
Namibian Ministry of the Environment, Forestry and Tourism
Namibia's government-initiated community conservancy program makes local people custodians of wildlife. This helps create jobs and tourism opportunities, as well as providing the rhinos with more space and better protection.
Namibia's government-initiated community conservancy program makes local people custodians of wildlife. This helps create jobs and tourism opportunities, as well as providing the rhinos with more space and better protection.
Namibian Ministry of the Environment, Forestry and Tourism
While only one airlift translocation has taken place in Namibia, conservationist Jacques Flamand (pictured, foreground) says in South Africa, a few black rhinos are airlifted each year.
While only one airlift translocation has taken place in Namibia, conservationist Jacques Flamand (pictured, foreground) says in South Africa, a few black rhinos are airlifted each year.
WWF / Micky Wiswedel
In 2015, one of the biggest rhino relocation projects to date moved 100 rhinos from South Africa to Botswana, using a mix of road and helicopter transport. After a 24-hour journey, the rhinos were unloaded at their new home in the Okavango Delta.
In 2015, one of the biggest rhino relocation projects to date moved 100 rhinos from South Africa to Botswana, using a mix of road and helicopter transport. After a 24-hour journey, the rhinos were unloaded at their new home in the Okavango Delta.
Beverly and Dereck Joubert/Bar/Getty Images