Uganda Moves Rhinos to Ajai in Conservation Milestone

Four Southern White Rhinos Journey from Ziwa Sanctuary to Ajai Wildlife Reserve, Marking Return After 40-Year Absence

MADI OKOLLO DISTRICT, Uganda — In a milestone moment for wildlife conservation in East Africa, Uganda has successfully completed its first-ever translocation of rhinos from one protected area to another within the country, moving four southern white rhinos from Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to Ajai Wildlife Reserve.

The historic operation, which took place in early January 2026, represents the opening phase of an ambitious national program that will see 20 rhinos relocated to Ajai Wildlife Reserve in northwestern Uganda, where rhinos roamed freely until they were wiped out during the country’s period of insecurity in the 1970s and early 1980s.

A Meticulously Planned Operation

In the early morning hours at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary in Nakasongola district, veterinary doctors sedated the rhinos after darting them, conducted clinical measurements including weight and pulse, before two male rhinos named Jabele and Erias were carefully loaded into crates. Jabele weighed 1,454 kilograms while Erias tipped the scales at 1,754 kilograms—a combined weight of over three tonnes.

By 9am, two trucks carrying the rhinos were already en route to Madi-Okollo district, traveling through Masindi district and Murchison Falls National Park before reaching their final destination after a four-hour journey. The sedated giants were then reunited with two colleagues who had been translocated earlier on January 5.

The successful offloading was met with thunderous applause from the team of veterinary doctors, rangers, and members of the local community who gathered to witness the return of rhinos to their ancestral home.

Restoring a Lost Heritage

For Ajai Wildlife Reserve and the West Nile region, the arrival of these rhinos carries profound historical significance. The northern white rhinos were once confined west of the Albert Nile in the then West Nile district with their home in Ajai, while the eastern black rhino inhabited areas east of the Albert Nile and north of Victoria Nile.

However, these populations were wiped out during Uganda’s period of insecurity due to poaching and habitat loss, with the last rhino killed in Narus Valley in Kidepo in 1983. For over 40 years, the landscape that once teemed with these magnificent creatures fell silent.

Dr. James Musinguzi, Executive Director of the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), described the translocation as deeply meaningful. “The return of rhinos to Ajai is a proud and emotional moment for Uganda. It reflects years of dedicated conservation work and a highly successful breeding programme at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, where our rhino population has steadily grown under careful protection,” he said.

From the Brink of Extinction to Conservation Success

Uganda’s rhino recovery story is one of remarkable determination and patience. The systematic rhino reintroduction program started in 1997 with the establishment of Rhino Fund Uganda, with awareness beginning in 2001 with the importation of two rhinos from Kenya.

In 2005-06, breeding started at Ziwa with the importation of four rhinos from Solio in Kenya and two from Disney Animal Kingdom in Florida, USA, forming the founder population that has grown to 49. This success was further bolstered in December 2025 when Uganda received eight southern white rhinos from Munyawana Conservancy in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, donated by African Parks, bringing the country’s total rhino population to 59.

A Phased Approach to Minimize Risk

The translocation to Ajai is being conducted in carefully planned phases to ensure the animals’ wellbeing and successful adaptation. Bashir Hangi, UWA’s Assistant Commissioner for Communications, explained the cautious strategy: “They have never been in this ecosystem before, so acclimatisation is critical. We are monitoring them closely to see how they respond before we bring the remaining 16 rhinos. The idea of moving them in phases is to reduce risk. We want to be certain that everything is stable before proceeding with the next group”.

The four rhinos are currently being held in a temporary facility within the reserve, where UWA’s ecological monitoring and veterinary teams are tracking their health, movement, and feeding patterns around the clock.

Extensive Preparations at Ajai

The successful translocation is the culmination of years of preparation at Ajai Wildlife Reserve, which covers 166 square kilometers in northwestern Uganda. UWA acknowledged that rhino security is completely different from that of other wildlife, with the animals being tracked 24 hours a day and ranger teams moving with them at all times.

Infrastructure development has been extensive. The authority has constructed roads, water points, and is building a fenced sanctuary within the reserve fitted with monitoring systems to detect breaches. Rangers have been specially equipped and trained to respond quickly to any threats, particularly from poaching.

Modern technology is playing a crucial role in the conservation effort, with Earth Ranger systems, GPS tracking, and camera traps deployed to enhance monitoring of the animals.

Community Engagement at the Heart of Conservation

Recognizing that long-term conservation success depends on local support, UWA has invested heavily in community engagement. The authority has held meetings, run radio programs, and conducted mobile sensitization campaigns to build local support for the project, with officials emphasizing they want communities to feel that “these rhinos belong to them.”

The approach appears to be working. Oscar Bora, a local resident who witnessed the translocation, expressed his commitment: “It’s my first time to see a Rhino, and I will send a message to the local leaders if something wrong happens to the Rhinos”. Mzee Omar Kidaga, an elder in the community, expressed gratitude for the restocking of Ajai.

UWA is also training youth from local communities to become rhino guardians and informants, fostering a sense of ownership and creating opportunities in sustainable tourism.

Conservation Equivalence: A Pragmatic Solution

While the rhinos being introduced to Ajai are southern white rhinos rather than the native northern white rhino subspecies, the introduction is guided by the principle of conservation equivalence, as the native northern white rhino subspecies is now functionally extinct, yet both subspecies historically belonged to the same species prior to their separation.

This pragmatic approach allows Uganda to restore ecological functions that rhinos once performed in the landscape while acknowledging the tragic loss of the original subspecies.

Economic and Ecological Benefits

Beyond conservation, the rhino translocation carries significant economic implications for the West Nile region. The presence of rhinos is expected to boost tourism substantially, creating jobs and generating revenue for local communities that have long felt marginalized from Uganda’s lucrative wildlife tourism sector, which has traditionally centered on the country’s mountain gorillas and savanna wildlife in other regions.

Ecologically, rhinos play a crucial role as “ecosystem engineers,” performing a variety of important ecological roles, including contributing to the formation and maintenance of grazing lawns in savannas.

Funding Conservation Through Innovation

In partnership with the Uganda Tourism Board, UWA ran a rhino-naming campaign on September 22, 2025, which raised over 490 million shillings (approximately $133,000) aimed at implementing the 10-year rhino conservation and management strategy (2018-2028). The naming ceremony, held on World Rhino Day, allowed individuals, corporations, and philanthropists to symbolically adopt and name rhinos, with proceeds supporting habitat expansion, veterinary care, and conservation efforts.

Looking Ahead: A Blueprint for Broader Restoration

The successful Ajai translocation is just the beginning of Uganda’s ambitious vision for rhino restoration. UWA says the Ajai translocation is part of a broader, long-term plan to re-establish rhinos in multiple protected areas across the country.

Following the completion of the Ajai program, plans call for introducing 30 rhinos to Kidepo Valley National Park after a feasibility study, potentially restoring rhinos to one of Uganda’s most spectacular wilderness areas along the border with South Sudan.

The operation also sets a precedent for wildlife management across East Africa, demonstrating that with careful planning, adequate security, community engagement, and sustained commitment, it is possible to restore wildlife populations to areas where they were previously extirpated.

Remaining Challenges

Despite the success, significant challenges remain. Poaching continues to be the greatest threat to rhinos across Africa, with rhino horn fetching high prices in illegal markets. The cost of maintaining round-the-clock security for the rhinos is substantial, requiring sustained funding and political commitment.

Climate variability, human-wildlife conflict, and the need to balance conservation with the development aspirations of local communities also present ongoing challenges that UWA must navigate carefully.

A Symbol of Hope

As the four rhinos settle into their new home at Ajai, browsing on the short grasses they prefer and wallowing in the reserve’s waterholes, they represent more than just a conservation success story. They embody Uganda’s commitment to restoring its natural heritage, the resilience of nature when given a chance to recover, and the possibility of coexistence between people and wildlife.

For a country that saw its last wild rhino killed in 1983, the sight of these magnificent animals once again roaming the landscapes of northern Uganda is nothing short of extraordinary—a testament to what can be achieved when conservation becomes a national priority backed by international partnerships, scientific expertise, and community support.

The careful monitoring of these pioneer rhinos over the coming months will determine the pace of future translocations, but for now, Uganda can celebrate a historic achievement that restores a missing piece of its ecological tapestry and offers hope for rhino conservation across the continent.

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