The Big Reason Why Rhinos are Airlifted Hanging Upside Down

At first glance, looking at a rhino being transported upside down might infuriate many thinking how insensitive of the transporters. For others, the image of a giant, heavy animal hanging upside down from a helicopter might seem more like something out of a cartoon than a conservation effort. But more than you know, this weird method of transportation when relocating the critically endangered black rhino, could be the key to their survival.

The Unlikely Hero: The Upside-Down Rhino

Over the last decade, conservationists have used helicopters to move rhinos to safer territories, especially when remote areas are unreachable by road. Traditionally, rhinos have been transported lying on their sides on stretchers. But as conservationists began using helicopters, they found a faster, cheaper, and potentially safer option: hanging the rhinos upside down by their legs.

While this may seem uncomfortable or even dangerous, research has shown that being flipped might be better for the rhinos than we thought.

Why the Upside-Down Method Works

In 2015, a team from Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine started testing this method. They suspended 12 black rhinos, each weighing between 1,770 and 2,720 pounds, both upside down and on their sides to compare how they fared. What they discovered was surprising. Although it seemed like a rather uncomfortable position for the rhinos, the upside-down method allowed for better blood oxygen levels.

It Makes Breathing Easier

A subsequent study by Cornell on the method revealed that the upside-down position helped to stretch the spine and open the rhino’s airways, making breathing more efficient. In contrast, when the rhinos were lying on their sides, they had a larger “dead space” in their lungs—essentially, areas of their lungs that couldn’t contribute to oxygen exchange. Even small differences in oxygen levels are crucial for these animals, especially since the powerful anesthetics used during their transport can cause low blood oxygen levels (hypoxemia).

A Faster, Safer Method of Transportation

Transporting rhinos by road, using stretchers, can be slow and cumbersome. It can take up to 30 minutes for a team to position and secure a rhino, which adds to the stress on the animal. In contrast, using helicopters and hanging the rhinos upside down takes just minutes to secure, significantly reducing the time the animal spends sedated. This is important because the sedation used is extremely potent—1,000 times stronger than morphine—and comes with risks.

Not only does this method improve the welfare of the rhino, but it also reduces the cost of the operation. Two helicopters typically cost about $4,000 per hour, and by reducing the time spent sedated and speeding up the process, conservationists save both money and time.

Why Are Rhinos Being Moved?

Rhinos are moved for several reasons. As a “density-dependent” species, black rhinos can experience a decline in population if too many live in one area. Additionally, moving rhinos helps ensure genetic diversity, preventing inbreeding, which can be a risk in fenced reserves where animals are isolated. For instance, the males might end up mating with close relatives due to the limited space available.

Rhino Populations Have Decreased Severely

In Africa, rhino populations were decimated by poaching in the 20th century. In the 1960s, there were more than 100,000 black rhinos, but by the 1990s, only about 2,350 remained. Conservation efforts have since helped increase their numbers to around 5,600, but poaching remains a significant threat. By translocating rhinos to new, safer areas, conservationists hope to reduce poaching pressure on any one population and ensure the species’ long-term survival.

The Role of Helicopter Airlifts in Modern Conservation

While airlifting rhinos by helicopter is still not the most common method of transportation—most rhinos are still moved by road—this technique is gaining traction for moving rhinos to rugged, remote locations, especially in Namibia’s northern Kunene region, where traditional methods are impractical.

As conservationists continue to face the challenge of moving rhinos to new, safe locations, airlifting will become mor commonplace in future.

The Future of Rhino Translocations

As conservationists continue to refine their methods of rhino translocation, there is much to be learned about the long-term effects of airlifting rhinos. Researchers at Cornell plan to study not just the short-term effects, but the long-term impacts of being airlifted upside down. This will involve monitoring the rhinos’ health and recovery post-translocation and checking for any changes in their brain activity and blood flow.

The upside-down airlift method may seem unusual, but it’s one of the many innovative techniques that are helping conservationists protect the black rhino. By continuing to study and refine these methods, we can hope to see not just the survival of the black rhino but the flourishing of this incredible species for generations to come.