Spotted hyenas are targeting endangered black rhino calves.

Spotted hyenas*1 are targeting endangered black rhino calves*2 in Aberdare National Park, jeopardizing years of conservation progress.

To combat this, the Rhino Ark Charitable Trust and the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) are deploying AI-powered predator detection systems that can identify hyenas by their shape and sound. "Once the system detects a hyena, it sends an alarm and triggers an ultrasonic beam designed to scare the animal away," Adam Mwangi, Rhino Ark's fence and community manager, told a local media outlet. The initiative supports the KWS's plan to increase the black rhino population from 1,004 animals at the end of 2023 to at least 2,000 by 2037. *1) The spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta), also known as the spotted hyena, is the largest hyena species and is characterized by its sandy-yellow to reddish-brown fur with numerous black spots.15 It lives in large parts of sub-Saharan Africa in savannas, semi-deserts, and mountainous regions up to 4,000 m altitude. *2) Black rhino calves are born weighing approximately 30 to 45 kilograms.5 After a gestation period of approximately 15 to 16 months, a single calf is usually born, which is nursed for about two years. The small protrusions on the calves' noses develop over the years into their characteristic horns. Black rhino calves are gently guided and protected by their mothers with their horns; the horns also serve as a weapon for protection against predators. The young animals are part of conservation programs because the species is considered critically endangered and poachers pose a major threat. In 2020, at least 13 black rhino calves were born in South Africa and Malawi alone, which is considered a success for species conservation. Zoos, such as the one in Magdeburg, have targeted breeding programs to preserve the East African black rhino populatio