Uganda reintroduces rhinos to national park after over 40 years

Two southern white rhinos were moved to Uganda’s Kidepo Valley National Park on 17 March as part of efforts to reintroduce the species after more than four decades, the BBC reported.

The animals are the first of eight planned for relocation to the park, where the last rhino was killed in 1983, according to the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA). Poaching during a period of political unrest wiped out rhinos in Kidepo and across Uganda’s national parks, which once supported around 700 animals.

The rhinos were transported to the park and released from crates after a journey from the privately owned Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch in Nakasongola, about 100 km north of Kampala. The ranch has been breeding rhinos since 2005, when it imported four white rhinos from a Kenyan reserve.

UWA executive director James Musinguzi said the relocation marked the beginning of efforts to restore a species that once formed part of the park’s natural heritage.

He said studies on habitat suitability, ecological needs and security conditions identified Kidepo as one of the best sites for reintroduction.

A secure sanctuary has been established, including perimeter fencing, access roads, firebreaks, ranger facilities, water systems and monitoring technology to protect the animals.

The species had disappeared entirely from the wild in Uganda, following decades of poaching. The illicit trade in rhino horn remains active, driven by demand for use in traditional medicine and as a status symbol in several Asian countries.

Kidepo lies near Uganda’s border with South Sudan in an area where armed cattle rustlers carry out cross-border raids. South Sudan has faced ongoing conflict and insurgent activity, adding to security challenges in the region.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies the southern white rhino as near threatened and says the population is decreasing. A 2020 survey estimated just over 10,000 of the species remain.

BBC, Reuters, Maghrebi.org