9 female white rhino have been reintroduced to one of Mozambique’s southern national parks as part of a mammoth undertaking to bring back species the country has lost.
Mozambique was the victim of one of Africa’s worst post-colonial power struggles, during which time they lost virtually all of several large animals during a civil war that lasted from 1977 to 1992.
During that time, rampant poaching and loss of centralized control of the rural areas saw localized extinctions of rhinos and other wildlife.
For the last 10 years, reintroduction efforts have seen Zinave National Park regain its rhino population. 39 white rhino and 22 black rhino have established themselves in the park, imported from South Africa.
Breeding has already occurred, including the birth of a black rhino calf, bolstering its Critically-Endangered species status.
The rhinos are protected within a specially developed high-security sanctuary, supported by significant investment in ranger capacity, surveillance systems, monitoring technology and specialized protection infrastructure.
“This translocation marks a chapter of pride and hope in Mozambique’s conservation journey,” said Pejul Calenga, Director-General of Mozambique’s National Administration for Conservation Areas.
“By returning white rhinos to Zinave, we are not only securing the future of a keystone species but also restoring ecosystem balance, creating investment opportunities in the wildlife economy, supporting local community development, and demonstrating what is possible when partners work together for nature.”
MORE RHINO READS: Radioactive Isotopes Being Embedded in Rhino Horns Seen as ‘Magical’ Anti-Poaching Solution
Zinave, located long the Limpopo River and thusly sharing a border with Zimbabwe, is managed by the continental nonprofit Peace Parks Foundation, which oversees protection and sustainable development in 10 cross-border park areas in the sub-Saharan region.
Starting in 2016, Peace Parks began a herculean repopulation effort into “the silent park” a disturbing moniker for Zinave that reflects its wartime losses.
AFRICAN PARKS: Virunga National Park Sees Hundreds of Elephants Return and Rare Gorilla Twins Born During Hopeful Year
Since then, a staggering 2,540 animals from 16 different species were moved from the neighboring countries into Zinave, including 7 Endangered African bush elephants, and the rhinos mentioned earlier.
Giraffe, zebra, sable, impala, hyenas, leopards, reedbuck, waterbuck, and buffalo have also been moved in.
CELEBRATE This Massive Conservation Success In Africa With Your Friends…