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On Tuesday, two southern white rhinos from a private ranch in
the East African country were reintroduced into Kidepo Valley
National Park in the country's northeast. Two more rhinos in
metallic crates arrived there on Thursday.
There have been no rhinos in Kidepo Valley National Park since
1983, the result of poaching. But a private ranch in central
Uganda — the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary — has been breeding the large
mammals since 2005. That program has succeeded over the years.
“This moment marks the beginning of a new rhino story for Kidepo
Valley National Park,” said James Musinguzi, executive director
of the Uganda Wildlife Authority. “We are deeply grateful to our
conservation partners whose technical expertise, financial
support and logistical contributions have made this milestone
possible."
Local wildlife authorities collaborated with multiple
conservation groups, including Global Conservation, to relocate
some rhinos from Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to another sanctuary
inside Kidepo Valley National Park, more than 400 kilometers
(250 miles) away.
The rhinos' new habitat has fence lines, access roads and fire
management infrastructure. More rhinos are expected to be
relocated there later this year, including some from Kenya.
The rhino translocation "shows that Uganda is stable again for
tourism, national parks are being protected, and Ugandans and
international visitors can watch rhinos in their natural
setting, which will be an incredible feat,” said Jeff Morgan,
executive director of Global Conservation.
Poaching remains a problem in Uganda’s protected areas, although
enhanced security measures have curbed incidents over the years.
Rhinos are targeted by poachers who kill them because of the
high demand for rhino horn products for medicinal and other uses
in parts of Asia. Studies indicate that rhino horn products sold
through illegal markets sometimes fetch higher prices than gold.
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