Rhinos return to Uganda’s Kidepo Valley after extinction from poaching

Uganda’s wildlife authorities reintroduced southern white rhinos to Kidepo Valley National Park, the remote protected area in Uganda’s northeast where rhinos have been absent since 1983 after poaching drove them out, officials said. The first two animals arrived on Tuesday, and another two rhinos arrived later on Thursday, according to the report.

The Uganda Wildlife Authority said the move begins what it described as a new chapter for rhinos in the park. James Musinguzi, the authority’s executive director, said the reintroduction “marks the beginning of a new rhino story for Kidepo Valley National Park,” adding, “We are deeply grateful to our conservation partners whose technical expertise, financial support and logistical contributions have made this milestone possible.”

The reintroduction drew rhinos from Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, a private ranch in central Uganda that has been breeding southern white rhinos since 2005. The Uganda Wildlife Authority said local wildlife officials worked with multiple conservation groups, including Global Conservation, to move some of the animals into the new protected habitat inside Kidepo Valley.

Officials said the rhinos’ new range includes fence lines, access roads and fire management infrastructure. They said more relocations are expected later this year, including some rhinos arriving from Kenya, as authorities plan to expand the reintroduced population.

Jeff Morgan, executive director of Global Conservation, said the 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.”

Wildlife officials said poaching remains a problem in Uganda’s protected areas, even as enhanced security measures have reduced incidents in recent years. Rhinos are targeted for their horn, driven by demand for rhino horn products for medicinal and other uses in parts of Asia, with studies cited by the report saying illegal-market horn can sell for prices higher than gold.