Dozens of rhinos rescued and relocated from SA reach Rwanda after two-day journey

After a two-day journey by air and truck, 70 captive-bred rhinos from South Africa have entered new territory in Rwanda’s Akagera National Park.

The translocation is part of the Rhino Rewild operation to rescue and relocate nearly 2,000 captive-bred white rhinos purchased by the African Parks group in 2023 from erstwhile Klerksdorp rhino baron John Hume.

They are the first animals from Hume’s captive-bred population to be relocated outside South Africa, after more than 160 other rhinos were moved to the Munywana private game reserve in KwaZulu-Natal, several private reserves adjoining Kruger National Park and the Dinokeng Game Reserve outside Pretoria.

The latest destination may raise some eyebrows, considering that Rwanda has one of the highest human population densities in mainland Africa and also because similar rhino translocations to several other nations on the continent in previous decades ended with their local extinction due to rampant horn poaching.

During 2018, at least four black rhinos died after being moved from South Africa to the Zakouma National Park in Chad, apparently because they failed to adapt to the plant diet in their new environment.

However, the Johannesburg-based African Parks non-profit conservation group said the latest move was part of a strategic 10-year plan to rewild rhinos to safe, suitable and well-managed protected areas of Africa.

African Parks, which manages 23 protected wildlife areas in 13 countries covering more than 20 million hectares, said wildlife and veterinary experts had conducted detailed risk assessments before the latest move.

More significantly, African Parks moved 30 other white rhinos to Akagera National Park four years ago. This initial population has grown to 41 animals.

“Building on this success, the additional 70 animals will now play a crucial role in ensuring the presence of meta-populations across the continent, presenting opportunities for future range expansion,” said African Parks in a media statement on 10 June.

As an additional measure to improve their ability to adapt to their new home, the captive-bred rhinos were initially moved within South Africa to the Munywana Conservancy.

“This preliminary stage of rewilding exposed the rhino to naturally occurring diseases such as trypanosomiasis and climatic conditions similar to Akagera,” said African Parks.

The final phase of the 3,400km journey involved the rhinos being transported by truck in steel crates to King Shaka International Airport in Durban. From there, they were flown to Kigali International Airport in a Boeing 747 and finally transported to Akagera National Park by road.

Complex operation

“The entire journey from Munywana to Akagera took approximately two days for each of the two groups of rhino, with continuous monitoring of their wellbeing by veterinary teams.

“Translocations are highly complex operations that demand months of meticulous planning and thorough risk assessments by world-renowned translocation and veterinary experts prior to implementation,” said African Parks.

The rhinos’ health and behaviour will be monitored by a dedicated veterinary team for several weeks to ensure that they adapt to their new environment and recover from any stress associated with the move.

The 112,000ha Akagera National Park (established in 1934) is slightly bigger than the 96,000ha Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park in KwaZulu-Natal, from where all the world’s remaining southern white rhinos originate.

Following the Rwandan Civil War and genocide of the Tutsi population, nearly 60% of Akagera was deproclaimed when large areas of the park were reallocated as farmland for returning refugees.

Akagera’s wildlife was heavily affected by rampant poaching, with lions being eradicated by returning pastoralists protecting their cattle.

Since 2010, African Parks says it has overhauled law enforcement efforts and dramatically curbed poaching in the park.

Though Rwanda’s best-known wildlife attractions are the gorillas in the Virunga Mountains, made famous by Dian Fossey’s “Gorillas in the Mist”, Akagera, which lies at the extreme west of the country’s border with Tanzania (close to Lake Victoria), has been described as “the last remaining refuge for savannah-adapted animals and plants in Rwanda”.

Peter Fearnhead, the CEO of African Parks, said, “We greatly appreciate the Rwanda government’s partnership and visionary conservation efforts, along with the invaluable support from the Howard G Buffett Foundation, in making this translocation a reality.

“There are numerous risks that still remain, but with the safe arrival of all 70 animals, and with a dedicated Akagera park management team, they have a real opportunity to thrive. The coming months of intensive monitoring will be critical to ensuring the long-term adaptation of these rhino to their new home.” DM