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CNN World Report

Transporting Rhinos and Hippos

Aired May 20, 2001 - 14:33   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ASIEH NAMDAR, CNN ANCHOR: No matter who you are, or in some cases what you are, moving day comes with mixed emotions, even for families in which the smallest family member weigh at least a ton. South Africa's SABC explains.

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SANDY MCCOWEN, SABC CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Relocating wild animals to a new home isn't easy, especially when some of the animals weigh over a ton. This move was no exception.

The hippopotamus, one of the most dangerous animals in Africa provided the biggest challenge. Its thick skin means it can't be tranquilized. Here, the conservationists tried to tempt the hippo with food.

But this hippo couldn't being coaxed. He escapes back into the water and then looks for mom. But eventually, he's captured and taken to animal world.

After a short journey, the two friends are reunited. More than 500 other mammals, reptiles as birds are also being moved. All of them were bred in captivity.

The animals are injected with a transponder. A transponder is a microchip that carries all the animals' genetic information. This is transmitted to a computer program, called Isis. Isis, in turn, is linked up with national zoos around the world.

WILLIE LABUSCHAGNE, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL ZOO OF SOUTH AFRICA: It's a way of managing an international breeding program much better, because you can now, on a regular basis, control the in-breeding co- efficiency.

If for instance, and we saw today was the eclectus parrots, any of the animals that are listed as part of the Isis program, you could call up any eclectus parrot anywhere in the world, member institutions would have access to one to five million specimen, and you could literally mate, breed your eclectus parrot with any other parrots anywhere in member institutions worldwide.

MCCOWEN: Next on the moving list are the rhinos. A tranquilizer dart has the required effect, but once safely inside, an antidote is needed and administered to counteract the effects of the tranquilizers.

The rhinos are not too sure of the new surrounding. They shy away from attention of the crowds. But with these junior kings of jungle, it was all a big adventure. The structure of the zoo is unique, as all enclosures are easily accessible to the public.

IAN YOUNG, MANAGING DIRECTOR: What you've got is unique viewing platforms in a very concentrated base, but also not just an internal basis but an external basis, because you can also see it free range on the hoop at the same time as well. It's totally unique and it's not repeated anywhere else in the world at this moment in time.

MCCOWEN: All the media attention is just a fraction of the crowds that are expected at the zoo when it opens a few weeks.

Sandy McCowen and Llewellin Constance (ph), SABC in Johannesburg for CNN WORLD REPORT.

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