Joy in Uganda as rhinos reintroduced to national park 40 years after local extinction

Uganda is celebrating the reintroduction of rhino to its Kidepo Valley National Park after an absence of 43 years.

The country's Wildlife Authority (UWA) and its partners have successfully managed the translocation of two Southern white rhinos after a long journey from the private Ziwa rhino sanctuary.

They are the first of a tranche of eight animals the Park expects to welcome during this phase of the operation.

Rhino once roamed freely across the remote Kudepo Valley ecosystem in north-eastern Uganda, but as poachers exploited political instability during the late 1970s and early 1980s, the species was wiped out from the area. 

The last rhino was killed for its horns and meat at Kidepo in ​1983.

Africa business specialist Rutendo Hwindingwi says the national parks in the areas once used to be home ⁠to around 700 of the animals.

"Africa now has only about 15 thousand white rhinos in total, and of the Northern type there are only two left and they are in Kenya."

"Uganda has made a security investment with this translocation, and the rhino will attract tourists so it's a good news story in terms of what the country is doing from a wildlife perspective."

The UWA says the move is aligned with Uganda's National Rhino Conservation Strategy which provides the framework for restoring rhino populations within their historical range.

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to Africa Business Focus (Uganda rhino discussion at 7:59)