Rwanda's White Rhinos Flourishing After Historic Relocation

On a sunny day in Akagera National Park, I watched a group of 10 southern white rhinos grazing peacefully. We stayed downwind and far enough to stay out of their line of sight, but close enough to feel the weight of their presence and hear the rustle of their massive legs moving through the grass. The sensation was electrifying—caution mixed with awe and a deep sense of connection to the wild. I glanced over at Drew Bantlin, Akagera’s conservation and research manager, to ensure everything was alright.

'We’re monitoring their activity to ensure they remain relaxed and show no signs of stress or exhaustion,' he explained.

This walk had more purpose than simply observing rhinos in their new home. It was March 2022, and I was invited by Bantlin and his team to join an observational walk to assess the health and behavior of the rhinos that had settled into a 200-acre enclosure in Akagera. Just months earlier, these rhinos had traveled over 2,000 miles from the andBeyond Phinda Private Game Reserve in South Africa. By July 2022, they were deemed fit for release and soon began exploring the park’s vast resources, even giving birth to new calves. 'They’re thriving,' Bantlin shared with me during a recent call. 'Their health is excellent, and we're seeing completely natural social interactions. Things are looking great.'

The monumental task of carrying out a wildlife translocation like the one in Akagera took years of meticulous planning. In 2010, the Rwandan government partnered with the NGO African Parks to manage Akagera National Park, spanning 430 square miles on the Tanzanian border. Over the last decade, with support from both the government and donors, African Parks has worked to restore the park’s biodiversity, which had been decimated by poaching and illegal settlements after the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Today, it is a sanctuary for savanna and wetland species: Lions were reintroduced in 2015, and critically endangered eastern black rhinos were returned in 2017, a decade after the last one had been seen in the park. By 2019, park visitation had increased fivefold to about 58,000 visitors, with 2022 showing even more impressive tourism numbers, half of which are Rwandan nationals, according to Bantlin.

On November 29, 2021, 30 white rhinos arrived in Rwanda’s capital, Kigali, aboard a Boeing 747 in what became the largest rhino translocation in history. The multi-month operation—kept secret for security reasons until after the rhinos’ safe arrival—began with a period of monitoring their health and socializing them in an enclosure. This was followed by a 40-hour journey by air and road. The objective of this ambitious translocation, a collaborative effort by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), African Parks, the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, and andBeyond, was to introduce the near-threatened white rhinos to Akagera, which offers an ideal habitat. Their presence not only supports conservation efforts but also adds a new draw for tourism, as white rhinos are easier to spot than the more elusive black rhinos. Visitors are already reporting sightings of rhino groups, including calves.

'Conservation is a key priority for Rwanda, driving tourism, enhancing local livelihoods, and making a significant contribution to the nation’s economy,' said Ariella Kageruka, head of tourism and conservation for the RDB, in an email. 'This success is a result of sustained and coordinated conservation efforts by the Rwandan government, in close partnership with local communities and conservation organizations.'

Despite Rwanda’s small size, slightly smaller than Maryland, the RDB has spent the past two decades prioritizing sustainable tourism, working with experts on various initiatives to restore biodiversity across its four national parks. According to a 2021 report on Rwanda by African Leadership University’s School of Wildlife Conservation, tourism now makes up 10.2% of the country’s economy—double what it was in 2010—and over 80% of tourism in Rwanda is nature-based. Revenues from parks, mostly driven by tourism, fund land and wildlife management and conservation efforts, with 10% of profits directly benefiting communities near the parks, where many locals are employed in roles ranging from guiding to research.

'The rhinos have access to plenty of grass, water, and all their needs, but more importantly, the management and operational support, backed by strong community and government involvement, ensure success,' said Bantlin. 'It’s the perfect formula for making this effort work.'

As Africa’s rhino populations continue to decline, the situation grows more urgent. A new report from the International Union for Conservation of Nature revealed that between 2018 and 2021, the white rhino population dropped by 12%, reaching only 15,942 individuals—though some experts believe the numbers are even lower. Much like Africa’s black rhinos, of which there are only 6,195 left, white rhinos are targeted by criminal syndicates that poach them for their horns, which are highly valued in parts of Asia for their supposed medicinal properties (they’re made of the same keratin as human fingernails). South Africa, home to the world’s largest rhino populations, is particularly affected, accounting for 90% of the 2,707 rhino poaching incidents reported across the continent from 2018 to 2021. In the first half of 2022, 259 rhinos were already lost to poaching in the country. The race to protect Africa’s rapidly declining rhino populations is intensifying, with conservationists and rangers often risking their lives in the process.

Phinda’s conservation manager Simon Naylor and his team have been battling rhino poaching with increasing urgency since the first rhino was poached on the private reserve in 2011. In addition to advanced strategies like thermal drones and anti-poaching dog units, Phinda also practices rhino horn trimming—an effective deterrent against poaching, as a dehorned rhino has no value to poachers. The reserve started offering this service to guests in 2016 to help cover the high costs. This month, Phinda trimmed its last rhino with an intact horn, which can take years to grow back.

'It was quite emotional, actually,' Naylor said in a call. 'I don’t think we’ll ever see a rhino with a horn like that here again.'

Poaching pressure in southern Africa has made it imperative to establish new habitats for the southern white rhino, a species that was never native to Rwanda but can flourish there. 'Rhinos are in a tough spot,' said Naylor. 'But that’s why moving them to safe places like Akagera is key to their survival. If they are well cared for and the habitat is right, Akagera could support one of the largest rhino populations left on Earth. This is the short-, medium-, and long-term solution for safeguarding the species.'

During the same trip to Africa where I visited Akagera in March 2022, I also went to Phinda to take part in the rhino horn trimming process. This experience is so popular with guests that it sold out for 2022 and is already filling up for 2023. While it sounds straightforward, the procedure is far more complicated in reality. A vet shoots the rhino with a dart from a helicopter—a challenging task when the target is moving below. Once the sedative takes effect, a team on the ground quickly moves in to work on the rhino before it stays down too long. As I held the ears of the young white rhino we darted, small pieces of keratin fell around me as Dr. Mike Toft, the vet, used a chainsaw to remove the horn. At times the rhino would lift its head, causing my heart to skip a beat. The act of trimming a horn felt brutally raw, and I had to remind myself that this was all part of saving this magnificent and vulnerable creature.

While the future of rhinos across Africa remains uncertain, the translocation to Akagera gave me a glimmer of hope, especially in Akagera where stringent security and government support have ensured that no rhinos have been poached since 2017, when eastern black rhinos were reintroduced. According to Bantlin, the park is now one of East Africa’s top destinations for seeing these majestic animals in the wild.

'If we succeed in transforming Akagera into a sanctuary for rhinos in East Africa, we could help support other areas by making animals available for relocation,' he said. 'Ultimately, if we can create a new safe habitat for vulnerable species like the near-threatened white rhino or the critically endangered black rhino, we must take action. Time is running out.'

Retreats offering intimate rhino encounters

At these African lodges and camps, guests have an excellent chance of spotting rhinos in their natural habitat—plus, their visit contributes to the ongoing conservation of these endangered animals.

Wilderness SMytouris Magashi Tented Camp, Rwanda

Magashi is nestled within 15,000 acres of private land in the northern part of Akagera. The camp features six elevated canvas tents, adorned with traditional black-and-white imigongo designs and soft rose-colored mosquito nets. Situated along the serene shores of Lake Rwanyakazinga, it’s common to see elephant herds quenching their thirst. Guests can track rhinos with their guide or take a peaceful boat ride around the lake. For an extended experience, pair Magashi with a stay at Ruzizi Tented Lodge, a nine-tent eco-lodge managed by African Parks, just a short distance from the park's entrance.

andBeyond Phinda Private Game Reserve, South Africa

Spanning 74,000 acres in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal region, Phinda is home to seven distinct ecosystems, including the rare dry sand forest. Each of its six lodges offers a unique view of the landscape. Vlei Lodge, with its six suites, sits on the edge of the forest, while Rock Lodge, featuring six stone-walled suites, offers sweeping views of a lush valley. The exclusive rhino trimming experience is fully booked for 2022, but spots are available for 2023. Guests can also enjoy rhino encounters at andBeyond’s Ngala Private Game Reserve near Kruger National Park, between April and September 2023.

Ol Pejeta Bush Camp, Kenya

A former cattle ranch transformed into a conservation area in Laikipia County, Kenya, Ol Pejeta Conservancy is still sustainably used by herders, with their Boran cattle helping to fertilize the land. The conservancy is famously home to the world’s last two remaining northern white rhinos. Among its lodging options is Asilia Africa’s Ol Pejeta Bush Camp, featuring seven spacious tents along the Ewaso Ngiro River. This is an ideal base for game drives to track black and southern white rhinos, and guests can also visit the last two northern white rhinos, which are under 24-hour armed protection.

Desert Rhino Camp, Namibia

Set in the mountainous Damaraland region of semi-arid north-central Namibia, Wilderness SMytouris' Desert Rhino Camp offers guests the chance to witness one of Africa’s largest populations of desert-adapted black rhinos. Visitors can join Save the Rhino monitors on foot or by vehicle to track these incredible creatures. The camp's eight large tents are designed in earthy tones and reds, offering stunning views of the sweeping desert landscapes and distant mountain ranges.

Elewana Loisaba Tented Camp, Kenya

Located in Kenya’s Laikipia County, the 57,000-acre Loisaba Conservancy, owned by the Loisaba Community Trust, has been without black rhinos since the last one was poached in the 1970s. However, that will soon change by the end of September 2022, when a reintroduction project begins using rhinos from nearby Solio Ranch, Ol Pejeta Conservancy, and Ol Malo. Guests can stay at Elewana Loisaba Tented Camp, which offers eight rooms under canvas on the edge of a scenic escarpment, or the eight-tent Loisaba Lodo Springs, set on a wildlife-filled savanna. For a more unique experience, sleep under the stars in one of four Elewana Loisaba Star Beds, where raised rooms are partially thatched, and four-poster beds on wheels allow guests to sleep under the open sky.