Five black eastern rhinos have successfully been translocated from Europe to Rwanda’s Akagera National Park.
Two males and three females rhinos were translocated from Safari Park Dvůr Králové in Czech Republic, Flamingo Land in the UK, and Ree Park Safari in Denmark.
The move was conducted in partnership with the European Association of Zoo and Aquarium (EAZA), Rwanda Development Fund and African Parks, which manages Akagera National Park.
“The newly translocated rhinos will bolster the founder group that we introduced in 2017, contributing to the re-establishment of a robust eastern black rhino population in Rwanda,” says Jes Gruner, park manager of Akagera National Park to BBC Wildlife Magazine.
The five rhinos are all part of a EAZA Ex Situ Programme (EEP) which aims to increase the genetic diversity of the rhinos in the Rwandan national park and to bring the critically endangered subspecies back in the country.
“The success of the EEP has enabled us to supplement natural populations of rhinos in Africa,” said Dr. Thomas Kauffels, chair of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria.
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