The ''Black Rhino and other Endangered Species Project''.
Summary of Dates, Facts and Events (1992 - 2007).

1992

April - the J&B Circle is formed with 6 members initially and later increased to 12. The idea came from Bill Shepherd MD of Malawi Distilleries Ltd.

May - the second meeting approves the J&B Circles fund raising must be in aid of conservation for wildlife in Malawi .

October – our first meeting with Dr Anthony Hall-Martin SANPB, and his Project manager Rian Labuschagne in Liwonde National Park – to offer our services as a back up organisation for any black rhino translocations - our offer is favourably accepted.

December – we join forces with J&B London and their “Care for the Rare” program and are proud to say that we are the only country in the world program to succeed and complete their project.

1993

March – Central African Wilderness Safaris take on the management contract for the new and now complete Mvuu camp.

April - The Project builds the rhino sanctuary and the J&B Circle supplies the poles and materials required for the new rhino bomas.

August – Eight Malawian Scouts from the DNPW are sent to Skukuza in the Kruger National Park , for specialized training with black rhinoceros.

October – on the 28th day a breeding pair of black rhino named Justerini and Brooks arrive safely in Malawi together with the trained rhino scouts.

The costs incurred for this translocation are met by the J&B Circle and the J&B “Care for the Rare” program in London - estimated at £30000-00.

November – SANPB capture team returns to SA and leave the aftercare to the project manager, the DNPW and the J&B Circle of Malawi .

1994

January – we assist Rian Labushagne the project manager with monitoring the rhino.

June – we provide funding to build 8 scout houses at the Makanga Scout Camp.

October – we provide funding for two water boreholes for the local community.

1995

March – the final efforts for a translocation of Mocambican rhino to Malawi being negotiated between, Dr Hall-Martin for the SANPB, DNPW, J&B Circle and the Mocambique Department dissolves, because of Mocambican political issues and inaccessibility to the supposed rhino habitat areas.

May – we provide funding for a maize mill unit to be installed at Makanga village as a service for the camp and the surrounding community.

December – SA / Malawi, Liwonde Project concludes its contract and with it goes Rian Labuschagne - J&B Circle takes on his role with the rhino project

1996

January – Frankfurt Zoological Society commence operations in Liwonde National Park under the management of Mike Labuschagne – to carry out scout training and law enforcement duties for Malawi's Parks and Wildlife Reserves.

May – Jet a baby male becomes the first rhino to be born in the sanctuary to Justerini and Brooks – named after J&B's new offspring and whisky release to the international market.

August – Rhino Brooks breaks out of the rhino sanctuary.

September – September Brooks is recaptured and returned to the sanctuary at an estimated cost to the J&B Circle of MK 250,000-00. These costs are made up of helicopter hire, crane hire, accommodation and catering cost for the KNP recapture team .

1997

July - agreement is reached between Dr Anthony Hall-Martin SANPB, DNPW, and the J&B Circle of Malawi, to bring a second breeding pair of black rhino from the Kruger National Park, as the better Mocambique option, is now null and void.

1998

April – J&B Circle begin to build a new 13 sq km sanctuary and boma for the second breeding pair of rhino- cost to the Circle of plus/minus MK 2,000,000-00.

September – Sanctuary two is completed with water supply to a new waterhole.

October – -Rhino's Julia and Bentley finally arrive from KNP thanks to DHL flying them into Lilongwe Airport.

November – Julia and Bentley are released from the bomas into sanctuary 2

1999

April – second rhino calf born to Justerini and Brooks and named Rydon a male, after dedicated UK student supporters of our project - Rydon Community College.

May – agreement is reached to relocate the five other species to Liwonde from Kasungu National Park, Nyika National Park, and Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve. Nyika was not keen to get involved and so Kasungu provided us with the necessary animals.

August – the capture and relocation commences from Kasungu, 91 buffalo, 16 eland, 26 hartebeest, 29 roan antelope, and 19 zebra find themselves a new home in the J&B Breeding Sanctuaries in Liwonde National Park.

September - the relocation is completed at an estimated cost to the J&B Circle of approximately MK 2,000,000-00.

2000

March – on instruction from KNP and DNPW the internal fence between the two sanctuaries is removed to allow better grazing for the new animals.

April – until November, we get very busy building Sanctuary 3 - 20 sq kms – ready for our third breeding pair of rhino which is going ahead now, thanks once again to Anthony Hall-Martin, the DNPW, J&B Circle, and to Will Taylor and his film company Panthera Productions who very generously agree to donate the rhino and cover other costs - J&B Circle costs for this relocation are in excess of MK 2,000,000,00.

August – Jet and Rydon have notches cut in their ears and it is during this exercise that the remains of rhino Brooks are found by Anthony Hall-Martin from the helicopter and the cause of death is presumed to be a male to male conflict – the decision is then made to keep adult males apart in separate sanctuaries in the future.

November – Will Taylor's pair of rhino arrive safely in Liwonde National Park, by air for the first time, landing at Makanga airstrip and are named by Anthony and Will as Chimpanje and Chimwewe.They become very much part of Panthera's new film production called “George and the Rhino ”.

2001

February – our third rhino calf Ntangai a male is born to Julia and Bentley, the first for them to be born in Malawi.

April – the bones of Chimwemwe, are found by, Mike Labuschagne, and Klaus Lorenz, pregnancy and stress are to be the assumed reason for her demise.

October – our fourth rhino calf Jabesi a female is born to Justerini and Bentley named after our loyal and long serving rhino scout Jabesi Dzimba.

2002

April – Liwonde National Park roads and airstrip, as well as the sanctuary roads and fenceline, is graded by the by the J&B Circle - opening the park for tourist revenue. Sanctuary firebreaks are cut and burned and a three year rotational fire burning program is established for period 2002 – 2005.

October – with the help of CAWS we build waterhole animal count hides, and then conduct our first census over a 72hour period in the Sanctuaries.

December – J&B London after ten years ceases to sponsor the black rhino project.

2003

June – our fifth rhino calf, Nangondo, a male is born to Julia and Bentley.

August - relocate Chimpanje and Rydon to Majete Wildlife Reserve and released from the Sanctuary into the Liwonde National Park and the Majete Wildlife Reserve, 141 sable, 55 impala, 50 warthog, and 22 buffalo.

October - our second 72 Hour Sanctuary Animal Count is carried out – showing an increase in animal numbers and proving the project to be a success.

2004

February – our sixth rhino calf, Namagogodo a male is born to Justerini and Bentley.

April – Complete the re-alignment of the new sanctuary boundary fence, and lift the internal fence to create one large sanctuary measuring 40 sq. km.

July – radio transmitters are implanted into the horns of Julia and Bentley, at a cost of MK 1,000,000-00.

October – our third Sanctuary Animal Count, rain interrupted is carried out and still indicates a positive result in animal numbers in the sanctuary.

2005

August - Namatunu is born to Julia and Bentley and confirmed immediately by scouts.

September – we conduct the 2005 fourth - 72 Hour Sanctuary Waterhole Count.

October – we complete a new waterhole named Nkhozi off Mphalaphala road

2006

March – Esom, provides food aid to all of its staff in Liwonde after the 2004 / 2005 drought.

April - Leonard is born to Justerini and Bentley.

July – Elephant Zebra and Hartebeest are moved to Majete.

October – the fifth annual 72 Hour Waterhole Animal Count is carried out and all evidence indicates to Justerini having calved (Leonard) in April /May 2006 bringing our rhino population in the sanctuary to nine.