Abstract:
Translocation is a valuable conservation tool, but poses significant risks for the transported rhinoceroses. Interventions reducing
these risks are required to ensure positive welfare during transportation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of
journey duration and feeding during the transport of white rhinoceroses (Ceratotherium simum simum). A total of 32 animals were
transported by road during two events, five days apart. Fifteen rhinoceroses in the first transport event (37.0 ± 2.4 hr duration) were
not fed, while 17 rhinoceroses in the second event (32.2 ± 1.5 hr duration) were offered lucerne. Blood samples were collected at
capture and after transport for the evaluation of changes in serum clinical chemistry analytes. The Wilcoxon rank-sum test was
used to compare differences between the groups.
In all rhinoceroses, transport resulted in changes in serum electrolyte, metabolite and enzyme concentrations, indicating a loss
in total body water, nutritional shifts, stress and fatigue. Fed rhinoceroses, transported over a shorter time, displayed greater
changes in osmolality (p < 0.006), serum sodium and chloride concentrations (p = 0.005 and = 0.001, respectively) indicating a
greater degree of total body water loss than non-fed rhinoceroses. Feeding and a shorter transport duration reduced, but did
not prevent, nutritional challenges. A greater increase in the muscle enzymes CK and AST (p = 0.027 and = 0.001, respectively),
indicated greater fatigue in non-fed rhinoceroses transported over a longer time. Further work to distinguish the effects of feeding
and journey duration is required to better understand the role feeding may play in mitigating welfare challenges during rhinoceros
translocation.
