Akagera National Park Receives 30 White Rhinos

Akagera National Park Receives 30 White Rhinos: 30 White rhinos were flown from the andBeyond Phinda Private Game Reserve in South Africa to Akagera National Park in Rwanda. The transfer of the rhinos from South Africa to Rwanda makes this the largest single rhino translocation in the history of wildlife conservation.

The rhinos travelled around 2,000 miles to their new home in Akagera National Park, where conservationists hope the animals will be able to establish a new reproductive base and avoid the severe poaching that has placed their species in jeopardy. All the rhinos were slightly sedated to keep them calm and prevent them from getting out of the crates.

White rhinos are classified as “critically endangered” by the World Wildlife Fund, which believes that there are around 18,000 of them in protected areas and private game reserves. According to officials, the reduction in their number is mostly due to poaching and the market for rhino horns.

Each of the 30 rhinos that arrived in Akagera National Park in Rwanda on Saturday was outfitted with a tracking transmitter to allow for continuous surveillance. To safeguard the new arrivals, authorities have also dispatched an anti-poaching canine team and helicopter surveillance.

The translocation of the 30 rhinos to Akagera national park presents Rwanda with the chance to substantially improve its contribution to rhino conservation, with Akagera national park set to become an internationally recognized sanctuary for black and white rhinoceros. The translocation was successfully undertaken by the Rwanda Development Board, African Parks, and andBeyond and funded by the Howard G. Buffet Foundation.

In May 2017, the first rhino translocation to Akagera took place, with 18 black eastern rhinoceros being relocated from South Africa to the national park. This saw the reintroduction of the species after 10 years of their absence in the park.

The initial relocation of these rhinoceros to the national park required a 2,486-mile travel from South Africa to Rwanda. Since then, the number of rhinos in Akagera has risen on its own. This follows the restoration of lions into the national park in July 2015, and the subsequent relocation of two additional male lions to the park in an attempt to enhance the population of the current pride.

Furthermore, five additional rhinos were relocated from Europe to Rwanda’s Akagera National Park. The European Association of Zoos and Aquaria moved five rhinos, three females and two males, from various zoos in Europe and gave them to Rwanda on June 24, 2019. Jasiri, Jasmina, Manny, Mandela, and Olmoti, the five rhinos, were flown to Akagera aboard a chartered Boeing 747-400F cargo jet operated by Air Atlanta.

Visitors to Rwanda’s Akagera National Park now have a fair chance of seeing rhinos in the park, following a 10-year hiatus. A lot has occurred in terms of security and development in the national park, including the establishment of an anti-poaching unit in Akagera, the deployment of a helicopter for overhead monitoring, and an increase in the number of park guards to improve security.

The African continent is thought to have less than 5,000 black rhinoceros, with the bulk of the species residing in South Africa. The reintroduction of black Eastern Rhinos into Akagera National Park has had a good influence on the amount of tourist visits, with over 44,000 visitors registered in the park in 2018.

Over 20 black rhinos, 30 white rhinos, 100 savanna elephants, and more than 15 lions may be found at Rwanda’s Akagera National Park. The national park is home to over 500 bird species, making it a popular site for Rwanda birding excursions. The park is also home to a number of primate species, including the olive baboon, silver monkeys, vervet monkeys, and blue monkeys.

Aside from rhinos, travellers visiting Akagera national park will also have the opportunity to observe lions, zebras, giraffes, duikers, crocodiles, hippos, hyenas, antelopes, and many other exotic creatures. The park provides day and night guided game drives for a cost of USD 50 and USD 45, respectively.

Other activities offered in Akagera national park include; boat cruise, nature walks, behind the scenes tour, walk the line tour, camping, and fishing. The park also has accommodation facilities where visitors can spend a night or two during your visit to the park like; Magashi Safari Camp, Karenge Bush Camp, Rusizi Tented Lodge and Akagera Game Lodge.

Contact info@akageranationalparkrwanda.org for bookings.