Uganda Wildlife Authority, the Uganda government-run conservation and tourism agency) and Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranches have reopened the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to the public and resumed tourism activities at the rhino sanctuary.
Ziwa rhino sanctuary was on Thursday 10 June 2021 reopened to tourist after a management dispute led to its closure weeks ago.
Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), a Uganda government-run conservation agency in a statement issued said tourist can now visit the 33 southern white rhinos at the sanctuary, located in the central Ugandan district of Nakasongola.
“Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranches short for ZRWR commits to providing land for the sanctuary and for the breeding programs and to providing sound management systems by developing and implementing a management plan for the sanctuary,” the UWA statement said.
The Uganda wildlife Authority closed the sanctuary on April 20, 2021, exercising its mandate of protecting wildlife resources as per the Wildlife Act of 2019.
Rhino Fund Uganda (RFU) previously used to manage the sanctuary before it was closed in April 2021. The closure of the RHINO sanctuary was a result of irreconcilable differences between Rhino Fund Uganda and the management of Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch, the owners of the land on which the Ziwa rhino sanctuary was established.
These differences resulted in Rhino Fund Uganda handing over management to Uganda Wildlife Authority.
“The current 33 southern white rhinos received from Rhino Fund Uganda are in good health. We assure the public that the sanctuary will continue to be a center of excellence in rhino breeding,” UWA added.
According to UWA, there are ongoing studies about the translocation of the rhinos to Uganda national parks where there is more space. Ziwa rhino sanctuary is about to reach the maximum carrying capacity.
“Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is now open to the public. Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch (ZRWR) commit to jointly manage the Rhino breeding program. UWA takes lead on Rhino safety and monitoring while ZRWR manages infrastructure at the rhino sanctuary.”
About Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
Establish in 2005 as a refuge created to re-introduce rhino to Uganda after their near extinction in 1982, Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is a private, non-for-profit, animal sanctuary in Uganda, born as a collaborative effort between the Uganda Wildlife Authority, the Rhino Fund Uganda. The sanctuary is home to 33 southern white rhinos.
The rate of rhino reproduction in Uganda is described amongst the highest of any breeding programme in Africa and this latest birth once again justifies the efforts undertaken many years ago to raise funds and establish the sanctuary,
Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is the ONLY place in Uganda where rhinos can be seen roaming the wild. The Ziwa rhino sanctuary is a ‘must visit’ location for expatriates and foreign tourists coming to Uganda, and is included on literally all safari itineraries going to or coming from Murchison Falls National Park.
Ziwa Rhino sanctuary is around 3-4 hours from Kampala and exiting Kampala can take an hour depending on where your hotel/lodging is. The visit to the rhinos will take 2 hours (or it is not worth going). From Ziwa it is about two hours to the top of the Murchison falls.
Rhino Tracking Experience in Uganda
In Uganda, we do some hard whitewater rafting on the white Nile River in Jinja and we are rewarded with encounters with gorillas, buffalos chimpanzee, elephants, lions, southern white rhinos, giraffes and over 1000+ species of wild birds when you visit the 10 national parks, 12 Wildlife Reserves and 14 Wildlife Sanctuaries in Uganda. And if you’re hoping to tick off the Big Five, add Ziwa Sanctuary to your itinerary to get up close to white rhino, which you track on foot.
Contact Responsible Tourism Company to book a rhino sighting and Murchison Falls safari directly giving back to wildlife protection. Request for quote by Email or Call: +256 704023485
More information about Uganda Wildlife Authority can be found on the website: www.ugandawildlife.org
