From Small Beginnings to World-Renowned…

In 1972, John Travers’ father, Norman, pioneered the integration of cattle ranching and commercial farming with wildlife management at Imire in the south east province of Zimbabwe.

Imire Safari Ranch was likened to Noah’s Ark… the animals came in two by two!

Imire soon provided a nucleus for various breeding herds in a safe and ideal wildlife environment. Norman’s dream was fulfilled and over the years, he has been recognised for his vast knowledge and contribution towards conservation; in 1988, he was awarded the prestigious award of Top Conservationist, in 1978, the Natural Resources Annual Award. But the highlight of Norman’s contribution to the wildlife of Zimbabwe was in 1987, when he became the privileged custodian of seven orphaned baby black rhino.

History of the Imire Black Rhino

Black Rhinoceroses have been on this earth for 40 million years. So numerous were they in the Zambezi Valley at one time, and so magnificent was the valley itself, that the United Nations declared it a World Heritage Site in 1984. The Zambezi Valley in Zimbabwe became a place where the black rhino would survive forever amid spectacular surroundings.
 
In 1975, thousands of black rhino roamed this valley. By 1980, 3000 black rhino had survived the liberation war of Zimbabwe. But then a poaching onslaught ensued… and by 1987, just three years after the United Nations’ declaration, the black rhino became extinct in the Zambezi Valley.
 
During the late 1980s, at the peak of rhino poaching, the Department of National Parks and Wildlife removed the remaining 120 black rhino out of the danger zones of the National Parks and into Intensive Protection Zones of Conservancies. Imire Safari Ranch offered their expertise and was awarded 7 baby rhino aged between 4 and 6 months; 3 males Noddy, Fumbi, Sprinter and 4 females Cuckoo, Mvu, D.J. and Amber.
 
All 7 calves were hand-raised on a bottle for at least 8 years. The rhino were kept on the milk formula for that length of time to continue the human contact and of course as a comforter. They have been raised together as a semi-domesticated herd.

RELEASE PROGRAMME

The black rhino have bred successfully; to date, 14 births have taken place on Imire. We have returned 9 rhino to the Matusadona National Park in Zimbabwe and one to Botswana. The females have bred successfully within the Park.
 
Sadly, Imire Safari Ranch has also suffered great loss.
Our 3 black rhino and an unborn calf were shot and murdered on 7th November 2007. Imire Safari Ranch lost a generation of black rhino in this brutal poaching incident.

Imire Safari Ranch continues the Black Rhino Breeding Programme

Imire works in great hardship as tourism levels remain low, but our commitment to the survival of the black and white rhino of Zimbabwe has not changed.

At present we have 4 sub-adult rhino; Gomo, KamuChaCha, Shanu and Tatenda.  The rhino are penned in two separate sites nightly and during the day are taken out onto the ranch with their handlers and armed guards to browse. Our intentions on Imire are to continue the breeding programme on an intensive scale. Currently, National Park policy is to hold the rhino on Imire Safari Ranch, which is a conservancy, until the poaching is under control again.

Imire Safari Ranch is proud to be the custodians of Zimbabwe’s black rhino and we are proud that our breeding station has been successful.

If you would like to make a donation towards the Imire Rhino Breeding Programme please deposit into the following account.

Account Name: Imire Black Rhino Fund
Account Number: 4573 - 399451 - 202
Branch: Marondera, Zimbabwe
Bank: Zimbank