Before the civil war around 1970s, Uganda had 400 Eastern Black Rhinos (Diceros biconis michaeli) in Murchison Falls National Park and 300 Northern White Rhinos ((Cerathotherium simum cottoni) in Kidepo Valley National Park. uganda safari
.Efforts to re-introduce rhinos in Uganda began in 2001 when two Southern White Rhinos were imported from Kenya and taken to the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre where they are still residents. Uganda Wildlife Authority later came together with a local NGO, Rhino Fund Uganda, and imported six more rhinos from Kenya and the United States of America as part of the breeding program, and these are residents at the Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary. All the three female rhinos got pregnant and two have already had babies, while the third is expected to deliver its baby at the end of December 2009.
A team belonging to the African Rhino Specialist Group (AfRSG) that visited Uganda recently has certified the country’s suitability to host the Eastern Black Rhinos and the Northern White Rhinos which once occurred in large populations in the northern part of the country. gorilla safari
The team was in Uganda to evaluate the former rhino ranges and rate them for importance, management capacity, habitat suitability, ecological carrying capacity, veterinary risk and the general security situation.
After the 7-day visit which included visits to Murchison Falls National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park and the Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary in the company of the UWA Veterinary Co-ordinator, Dr. Patrick Atimnedi, the team said they were convinced that Uganda still had the capacity to host the rhinos, which were poached to extinction during the1970s and 1980s houses for sale in kenya
During a follow-up meeting the team had with the UWA Management team, they advised that all aspects relating to the management of the rhinos must be assessed and decided upon in the run-up to their re-introduction in the Ugandan wild. Masai mara safari packages Such aspects include ecological management, community support, security, monitoring, capacity building, co-ordination with the different stakeholders, political support and tourism activities.
The team recommended that a Uganda Rhino Policy should be developed as this will demonstrate government commitment to the re-introduction of the rhinos. They also recommended the formulation of a National Rhino Conservation Plan as well as specific re-introduction plans for each site for the different rhino species.kampala homes on sale