Latest news with #AkageraNationalPark
Asharq Al-Awsat
10 hours ago
- General
- Asharq Al-Awsat
70 South African White Rhinos Relocated to Rwanda
Rwanda said on Tuesday that 70 white rhinos had been successfully relocated to the Great Lakes nation after a two-day journey of some 3,000 kilometers (over 1,800 miles) from South Africa. It was the largest ever relocation of rhinos, which can weigh up to two tons, Rwandan officials said. Once abundant across sub-Saharan Africa, rhino numbers have dramatically fallen due to hunting by European colonizers and large-scale poaching. The animals were transported in two loads of 35 -- first aboard a Boeing 747, then by road -- from South Africa's Munywana Conservancy to Akagera National Park in Rwanda, or about 3,000 kilometers as the crow flies, according to the Rwanda Development Board (RDB). A "dedicated veterinary team will closely monitor their health and behavior for several weeks to ensure proper adaptation to their new environment and management of any stress associated with the move", it said in a statement. The move was part of African Parks' Rhino Rewild Initiative, supported by The Howard G. Buffett Foundation, and aims to support population growth and secure a new breeding stronghold in Rwanda. According to the International Rhino Foundation (IRF), rhino poaching in Africa rose by four percent from 2022 to 2023, with at least 586 rhinos poached in 2023. The southern white rhino, one of two subspecies, is now listed as "near threatened", with roughly 17,000 individuals remaining, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The northern white rhino has all but vanished, with only two females left alive.
Travel Weekly
24-05-2025
- Travel Weekly
Wilderness plans a luxury safari camp in Rwanda national park
Wilderness plans to open an eight-bed luxury safari camp on the private Magashi Peninsula in Akagera National Park in Rwanda in September. The new Wilderness Magashi Peninsula will consist of a four-bed villa and two separate twin rooms strategically positioned 200 meters apart, all overlooking Lake Rwanyakazinga and the Mutumba Mountains. • Related: Women are connecting with solo travel in Africa All accommodations are raised off the ground to maximize views of resident wildlife, including hippos and crocodiles in the lake and buffalo and elephants moving freely across the peninsula. The camp welcomes children as young as age 6, though families with children between 6 to 12 years old must book private vehicle use. Luxe accommmodations The villa consists of two twin en-suite rooms connected by a communal living space with lounge, dining area and kitchen. It also includes an additional adaptable en-suite room that can serve as a gym, children's room or office, accommodating up to six guests. Villa guests will enjoy a fully private experience with dedicated in-villa dining and exclusive guide services. The camp's location within a private concession in Akagera National Park provides access to 10 diverse habitat types ranging from open plains and woodlands to swamps and lakes, home to lions, rhinos, elephants and other African wildlife. Wilderness Magashi Peninsula will offer several signature experiences for guests, including private water-based excursions aboard a pontoon or swamp cruiser, catch-and-release fishing, guided night drives and rooftop Star Beds for overnight stargazing. The new lodge complements Wilderness Rwanda's recently opened Bisate Reserve near Volcanoes National Park, creating opportunities for travelers to combine gorilla trekking with traditional safari experiences in a single Rwanda itinerary.
Malay Mail
16-05-2025
- Science
- Malay Mail
Rwanda to welcome 70 white rhinos from South Africa in historic conservation effort
RWANDA, May 16 — Rwanda's biggest national park announced yesterday it will be receiving 70 white rhinos from South Africa later this month, in the country's largest such transfer ever. The animals, which can weigh up to two tonnes, are set to travel some 3,400 kilometres (2,100 miles) to their new home in Akagera National Park. 'This event marks a key milestone in rhino conservation and showcases our collective efforts to protect and sustainably manage Akagera National Park,' the park said in a statement. Once plentiful across sub-Saharan Africa, white rhino suffered first from hunting by European settlers, and later a poaching epidemic that largely wiped them out. According to the International Rhino Foundation (IRF), rhino poaching in Africa rose by four percent from 2022 to 2023, with at least 586 poached in 2023. The southern white rhino, one of two subspecies, is now listed as 'near threatened', with about 17,000 individuals remaining, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The northern white rhino has all but vanished, with only two females left alive. Scientists are attempting to save the species from extinction by harvesting eggs from the younger of the two animals, Fatu, and using sperm from two deceased males to create embryos in an unprecedented breeding programme, the subspecies' last chance at survival. Rwanda, which is positioning itself as a top safari destination, received 30 white rhinos in 2021 in the same park. The population of white rhino is on the rise in South Africa despite poaching, according to IRF. The transfer aims to support their population growth and secure a new breeding stronghold in Rwanda. — AFP
