Catching a rhino after being darted
Sample collection for parasite monitoring in sable antelope
Routine rhino transport creates opportunities for much needed research in this once very rare species
Handling and transport of individual animals often requires little more than a pickup and some extra hands
Blood samples for an ongoing research project being collected from a young roan antelope
Giraffe transport – some jobs need more hands than others!
Our services
Opportunities for data and sample collection
Across southern Africa large numbers of wild animals are immobilised, handled and transported daily, creating valuable opportunities for research to improve our understanding of the many unexplored aspects of African wildlife species.
The primary role of African Son is to locate suitable existing operations and to secure cooperation according to specific research projects’ requirements.
By only accepting projects approved by recognised research committees, we are assured that the projects we facilitate are meaningful and will make significant contributions to science.
Veterinary services and expert advice
Through our experienced qualified staff and contacts we can provide veterinary services and expert practical and local advice as required by specific projects. This is done either directly by African Son, or by calling on the assistance of universities, private wildlife veterinarians or other experts in the field.
Equipment and laboratory facilities
According to specific projects’ needs, veterinary and other required equipment can be provided. Advanced diagnostic and research facilities from private or university laboratories can also be utilised.
Logistics
We can arrange all the logistics and administrative duties like transport, accommodation and insurance to name but a few, allowing researchers to concentrate on the more important aspects of their projects rather than the myriad of other practicalities.
You want to investigate to what extent administering a certain drug reduces the level of hypoxia suffered during opioid immobilisation of wildlife. After your literature research, you decide to use this drug on impala during immobilisation and compare your findings to control animals as a pilot study. Once this initial section is completed, you want to do the same with white rhino. As soon as your research proposal and a tentative budget have been compiled, you send it to us for our input.
Your proposal will inform us how many animals under what conditions you require, as well as what equipment and staff would be necessary.
Let's say from your protocol we determine the following is needed:
- 50 impala that can be immobilised
- 50 white rhino which will be immobilised anyway
- Relevant legal permits
- A 4x4 vehicle for transport of 3 personnel and equipment on and off road plus fuel
- Vehicle (and possible health) insurance
- Accommodation at various locations for a research team of 3 over 3 months
- Blood gas sampling and monitoring equipment
- A veterinarian
- Immobilising equipment and drugs (with storage facilities)
In our reply we would then list the above with preliminary prices, giving you various options to choose from depending on your budget as well as mentioning all the other practicalities applicable to local laws and circumstances that may have been overlooked. We will also inform you of our relevant fees.
If you find our recommendations and fees acceptable, we can start searching for game owners willing to place the impala at your disposal and find a handful of farms which will consider making their rhino available for your studies for instance during routine management related immobilisations. You can then finalise your budget and protocol being informed of local costs and availability and await approval from your research committee and funding bodies.
Once your project gets the go-ahead, we can finalise arrangements with all role-players, obtain permits, buy or rent the vehicles, take out the necessary insurance, book accommodation, organise the equipment, order the required drugs and recruit and draw up a contract for a local veterinarian. Our management role and active participation after this initial setup will depend on the level of further involvement required.
We also know from personal experience that research funds are limited, so we strive to get as much support as possible for every project. For instance, we might be able to initiate other smaller projects as concurrent spin-offs, which places less financial strain on your project.
For example...
A local student may want to look into the accuracy of using a pulse oximeter in comparison to blood gas analysis and may be able to arrange the equipment with his/her project’s own funding, making the applicable values available to your project and supplying the man-power to obtain such data.
Though the above are hypothetical examples and every project has its own requirements, we trust this has shed some light on what we can do for you and hope to be of assistance in the not too distant future!