After elephants and white rhinos, black rhinos are the third biggest land animals on earth. In 1970, there were still about 65,000 black rhinos living in Africa. However, when in 1995 the population was reduced to 2,500 animals by increased poaching, some of the black rhinos were temporarily watched 24/7 by armed gamekeepers.

Sadly, today there are wild populations only in Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Cameroon. A resettlement of the black rhino has taken place in South Africa, Malawi, Swaziland and Rwanda, after they had been eradicated completely there. The last count in 2001 resulted in 3,500 black rhinos once again. This slight population recovery is due to the commitment of individual groups, institutions and companies as well as the resettlement of rhinos in South African national parks.

The Frankfurt zoo has a very special relationship to the black rhino. After all, in 1956 the first “European” pup was born in Frankfurt am Main. In the context of the resettlement programs of the Frankfurt Zoological Association we were entrusted with flying female black rhino “Hama” safely to her original home South Africa. For us a great joy and honor to be allowed to take part in species and environmental protection by this.