Two animals have been relocated to Kidepo Valley National Park in Uganda as part of a program to rebuild the lost population.
Uganda has started reintroducing rhinos to Kidepo Valley Park, marking the return of the species to the area 43 years after they were exterminated by poaching, the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has reported.
The first two southern white rhinos were transported from the Lake Rhino Sanctuary to Kidepo on Tuesday, part of a phased plan to relocate a total of eight animals, according to UWA. The effort aims to restore a population that disappeared from the park in the early 1980s.
The move follows years of preparation, including the construction of a fenced reserve, outposts for guards, and monitoring systems to ensure the animals’ protection and adaptation to the new environment. The park, one of Uganda’s most intact savanna systems, was identified as suitable after a feasibility study assessed habitat and security conditions.
“This time is the beginning of a new rhino story for Kidepo Valley National Park,” UWA Executive Director James Musinguzi said, adding that the relocation is the first step in re-establishing the population.
Officials said the animals will initially be kept under close observation in a secure sanctuary before being gradually integrated into the sanctuary’s ecosystem.
Rhinos once roamed the Kidepo Valley, but massive poaching led to their extinction, with the last recorded animal killed in 1983. Conservation efforts were accelerated in 2005 with the launch of a breeding program at Lake Rhino Sanctuary, helping to rebuild Uganda’s rhino population to over 60.
Authorities say the return of the rhinos is set to boost biodiversity and tourism while supporting efforts to restore endangered wildlife in one of Africa’s most isolated national parks.
In January, UWA moved four southern white rhinos from the Lake reserve to the Ajai Game Reserve in northwest Uganda and aims to move up to 20 rhinos to the reserve.
Uganda’s action comes amid major efforts in Africa to protect the rhino population. Separately, Kenya in December opened what it says is the world’s largest rhino sanctuary in Tsavo West National Park, bringing together nearly 200 black rhinos in a protected area of more than 3,200 square kilometers.
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