White rhinos reintroduced to DR Congo national park
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Loading... - Tracy Blay
- 12 Jun 2023
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Officials announced on Saturday that a total of sixteen southern white rhinoceroses have been reintroduced into Garamba National Park, located in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This significant move aims to revive the population of an endangered species that had been severely depleted due to rampant poaching.
The tragic loss of the last remaining northern white rhino in the park occurred in 2006. To address this critical situation, a collaborative effort between the park and various conservation groups led to the transportation of sixteen southern white rhinos from a private reserve in South Africa to Garamba.
Yves Milan Ngangay, the director general of the Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN), emphasized the significance of this achievement, stating, "The return of white rhinos to the Democratic Republic of the Congo is a testament to our country's unwavering commitment to the preservation of biodiversity."
The operation was successfully coordinated by the ICCN, along with the support of African Parks, a renowned conservation NGO, and Barrick Gold, a Canadian mining company that generously sponsored the rhino relocation.
Established in 1938, Garamba National Park holds the distinction of being one of Africa's oldest national parks. Unfortunately, due to conflicts, poaching, and persisting instability in the volatile region of the DRC, its wildlife populations have experienced significant decline over the years.
Peter Fearnhead, the CEO of African Parks, acknowledged the past failures in protecting the northern white rhinos in the park, stating, "Efforts to save the northern white rhinos in the park were regrettably inadequate and came too late." He further added, "This reintroduction marks the beginning of a process in which the southern white rhino, as the closest genetic alternative, can assume the ecological role of the northern white rhino in this landscape."
Looking ahead, it is anticipated that more southern white rhinoceroses will be relocated to Garamba National Park in the future to further support the restoration of the rhino population and enhance the park's biodiversity.
