Extinct in the wild in Uganda for more than 40 years, what is the future for northern white and eastern black rhinos, the country’s two indigenous species?
Uganda’s last native rhinos were seen in 1982, and extinction in the wild was declared in 1983. On World Rhino Day, celebrated every 22 September, there are encouraging signs that rhino conservation in Uganda is moving in a bold new direction. Let’s look at why and how.
Celebrating rhino conservation at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary in Uganda
Baby rhinos and big dreams at Ziwa
On World Rhino Day 2025 at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary (Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch) in Nakasongola, central Uganda, we celebrated by naming 17 baby southern white rhinos, a major milestone in rhino conservation – congratulations to UWA and the many others involved including the (now-closed) Rhino Fund Uganda, “who must be appreciated” said UWA Executive Director James Musinguzi.
I was at Ziwa to record a podcast episode. Dozens of us tracked the rhinos that morning. What is it like to track rhinos on foot? Read my article. For many, World Rhino Day marked their first ever wild rhino sighting. I loved hearing the rhino snorts and rumbles as the cameras clicked!
Future plans are equally ambitious: the translocation of 20 rhinos from Ziwa to Ajai Wildlife Reserve, the import of 100 rhinos to Kidepo (working with Northern Rangelands Trust) and rhino-themed plans for Murchison Falls too in time (no details as yet). There’s even talk of bringing back eastern black rhinos as part of Uganda’s 10-year rhino conservation strategy.
Thanks to all the event sponsors and namers, some of whom contributed $10,000 each to name their rhino baby: names included Amuka (the Lango name for rhino), Ubuntu, Akili, Jane Goodall, Nakadanya and AUTO. I noted an interesting choice of name by Lisa Chesney the British High Commissioner: Pearl. It was of course the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill who in his book 1908 book “My African Journey” described Uganda as “the Pearl of Africa” a phrase embraced by the tourism community and immortalised in the country’s destination brand tagline to this day.
Did you know you too can support the initiative with a donation of 100,000 UGX and receive a thank you certificate in return? The Uganda Wildlife Authority aims to fundraise USD 11 million (UGX 40 billion) for its Name (or Name and Save) a Rhino campaign. Proceeds will fund translocations as well as habitat management and anti-poaching.
Preparing for Ajai Wildlife Reserve
On the road back to one of their historical homes
It’s 42 years since rhinos roamed freely in the wild in Uganda.
The next big step is a landmark conservation effort to restore rhinos to Ajai Wildlife Reserve, a 158 km² protected area in West Nile, approximately 55km east of Arua in northwestern Uganda. In 1954, there were an estimated 300 northern white rhinos in Ajai, and in 1962 Ajai was designated as the white rhino sanctuary, but poaching quickly decimated their population.
Today, the reserve is a patchwork of papyrus swamps, grassy floodplains and savanna woodland. On a good day you might spot leopard, Uganda kob, sitatunga, hippo, hartebeest, bushbuck or waterbuck. Black-and-white colobus monkeys and baboons are regularly seen too according to the Bradt Guide and Uganda Wildlife Authority. (The muzungu hasn’t visit Ajai – yet!)
The Rhino Translocation Team is a cross-section of technical experts – vets, rangers, logistics and transport specialists, and security personnel – all tasked with ensuring the safe and successful move of rhinos from Ziwa to Ajai. Seven UWA staff bring valuable experience from Kenya, where they recently took part in rhino captures and translocations alongside colleagues at Lake Nakuru, Lewa and Segera conservancies.
The return of rhinos to Ajai is written into the National Development Plan IV and UWA’s conservation strategy. From local leaders in West Nile to clan elders and the President himself, support is strong. The forecast translocation date is December 2025 and Diary of a Muzungu wishes the team every success. Captain Roy (on whose land Ziwa’s rhinos have grazed for two decades) warned UWA to protect the rhinos (choosing to reference translocations in Kenya in which rhinos have died). Roy must wonder what the future holds for Ziwa.
- 1982 – Last Northern White Rhino in Uganda dies (Murchison Falls)
- 1983 – Last Eastern Black Rhino in Uganda seen (Kidepo Valley)
- 1983 – Both species declared extinct in the wild in Uganda
- 1997 – The NGO Rhino Fund Uganda set up to repopulate Uganda with wild rhinos.
- 2001 – Two rhinos arrive at Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC), Entebbe, but do not breed
- 2004 – Construction of the perimeter fence begins at agreed sanctuary site of Ziwa
- 2005 – Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary established with six animals. First rhinos arrive from
- Kenya
- 2006 – More rhinos donated by Disney’s Animal Kingdom (USA)
- 2021 – UWA took over security of Ziwa Rhino sanctuary following a lengthy dispute between Rhino Fund Uganda, the NGO managing the facility, and Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranches, the 16,000 acre site owners. The sanctuary is now managed by UWA. Rhino Fund Uganda is no longer active in the country.
- 2025 – Uganda Wildlife Authority launched a campaign to raise US$11 million to translocate 20 rhinos from Ziwa to Ajai Wildlife Reserve. On World Rhino Day 2025, the conservation community joined the local community and high-level representatives from diplomatic missions, as well as businesses who sponsored rhinos, at what was billed “the first rhino naming ceremony.” Ziwa has a thriving community of 48 rhinos.
More rhino-themed plans
Science, zoos and the next chapter
On World Rhino Day 2022 at UWEC Entebbe, lifelong rhino conservationist David Bakeine shared ideas for securing the future of wild northern white and eastern black rhinos – Uganda’s original indigenous species – through his NGO @action4rhinos.
Bakeine proposed that Uganda import Eastern Black Rhinos to “restore ecological balance and boost tourism.” I’m not generally a fan of zoos, but when you learn that surrogate mothers and rhino embryos stored in overseas enclosures could help recover the two species, you can’t help but feel intrigued about the future of rhinos in Uganda.
Rhinos make their debut on the East Africa Travel Podcast
What’s next for rhinos and Diary of a Muzungu?
My reason for attending World Rhino Day at Ziwa was to record a new episode for season 2 of the podcast, currently in production. Uganda’s rhinos first got a mention on the podcast courtesy of Rob Walker, the country’s official sports tourism ambassador. Listen to his hilarious stories about “tickling a rhino behind the ears” on one of his recent trips to Uganda!
