The Hidden Costs & Missed Opportunities Behind Conservation Statistics: Thandi and Themba's Story

Rhino were my "gateway" species to zoology, conservation and animal welfare. My childhood love of rhinos, a consequence of their dinosaur-like characteristics, shaped my career and ultimately my life, leading me to work in and around rhinos throughout my career. My first “job” in conservation was tracking black rhino in Zimbabwe, since when, I’ve been involved in rhino conservation, research, management and facility design ever since.

All of which mean I tend to avoid watching too much rhino related media in my downtime - everyone needs a break from “work” after all! But, on a recent long-haul flight, when I saw the "Great Rhino Robbery" alongside the action thrillers and rom-coms on the airline's entertainment system, I thought I'd give it a try, and I'm glad I did.

One of the story lines was that of Thandi and Themba; two rhinos whose lives vividly illustrate the welfare costs and heartache that are all too often masked by the tragic scale of raw conservation statistics.

In?March 2012,?three Rhinos were darted and brutally dehorned by poachers in the Eastern Cape, with living tissue and bone removed to secure every last gram of rhino horn.?One male rhino died that night as a result, and despite heroic efforts, the second male Themba, succumbed to his injuries three weeks later, highlighting the harsh, agonising reality many animals face in the wild at the hands of poachers.

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However, Thandi, mutilated in the same poaching event, endured an agonising recovery under the care of staff at Kariega Game Reserve, and remarkably went on to survive and rear calves, embodying resilience and hope, as well as underlining the positive role humans can take in protecting wild animals.

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Their stories underscore a critical lesson - welfare and conservation are two sides of the same coin - no conservation challenge occurs without suffering - there is no pain-free extinction. And so, just as conservation challenges are also welfare crises, effective conservation efforts, whether they be in the wild or in zoos, must have the immediate well-being of individual animals at their core.

I believe no organisation can effectively advocate for species without taking care for individuals, and there are no conservation organisations more intrinsically linked to the welfare of individual animals than zoos, wildlife parks and aquariums - in that way, welfare is the foundation of ex-situ conservation. ?

welfare and conservation are two sides of the same coin - no organisation can effectively advocate for species without taking care for individuals

The focus of the conservation community on species and ecosystems illustrated by alarming statistics on population declines, habitat loss, and atmospheric changes might engage people intellectually, but stories such as that of Thandi and Themba engage people emotionally, creating I believe, a far more powerful pathway to conservation engagement. The visible affection between a young calf and her still recovering mother, is a powerful reminder of what statistics can never convey, and can be a powerful call to conservation action that statistics in isolation, simply can't match.

In the early years of my career, the dominant mindset amongst conservation agencies, both in-situ or ex-situ, was to prioritise the greater good of the species, often at the expense of individual welfare - the case for conservation-based trophy hunting illustrates this point clearly. However, as time has progressed, it seems increasingly clear that integrating animal welfare into conservation planning is not only the right thing to do morally, but also essential if we are to effectively engage communities and achieve truly sustainable conservation impacts. At best, conservation organisations risk missing an opportunity by not engaging proactively with welfare related issues, and at worst, risk undermining their legitimacy entirely.

For zoos, wildlife parks, aquariums and any conservation breeding program, their unique position amongst conservation agencies to actively care for animals presents a powerful opportunity for conservation engagement, but only if they can visibly and effectively safeguard welfare.

This is the foundation of what we do at Care for the Rare, and the focus of our work. To learn how we can help you care for individual animals, and protect species, please reach out.

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