Residents of Madi-Okollo District are celebrating the official start of the translocation of white rhinos to Ajai Wildlife Reserve, which commenced today, January 5, 2026, marking a historic milestone in Uganda’s wildlife conservation journey.
Ajai Wildlife Reserve holds deep significance in the country’s rhino conservation story. By 1965, the reserve supported about 60 of Uganda’s remaining 80 rhinos. However, rampant poaching and prolonged insecurity in the late 1970s and early 1980s led to the complete loss of rhinos from the wild.
Their return now symbolises both ecological recovery and renewed national commitment to conservation.
Local conservation activist Suleiman Matua said communities around Ajai Wildlife Reserve and across the greater Madi region have long awaited this moment. He explained that rhinos originally inhabited the area even before Ajai was gazetted as a protected reserve, making the reintroduction a restoration of the ecosystem’s natural heritage.
William Lematia, the Youth Council Chairperson of Madi Okollo District, noted that the return of the rhinos is particularly exciting for young people who have never seen the animals in the wild. He added that the reintroduction is expected to stimulate tourism and improve local revenue collection, an area the district has historically struggled with.
Sunday Dubo Isaac, the Local Council III Chairperson of Ogoko Sub-County, which borders Ajai Wildlife Reserve, said communities, especially in Ogoko, are delighted to welcome the rhinos back to their original habitat. He emphasised that the return of the animals has fostered a sense of pride and ownership among residents.
Hangi added that all necessary preparations at Ajai Wildlife Reserve have been completed. A specialised rhino management team has been trained, security has been enhanced, water points established, and sufficient forage ensured through targeted habitat management.
Uganda’s rhino recovery is increasingly being recognised as a conservation success story. Following the extinction of rhinos in the wild, recovery efforts began with the establishment of Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary after advocacy by Rhino Fund Uganda. The first six southern white rhinos were introduced in 2005 and 2006. By December 2025, Uganda’s rhino population had grown to 59, paving the way for the re-introductions into protected areas such as Ajai Wildlife Reserve.
The return of rhinos to Ajai not only restores a missing species but also strengthens conservation-linked livelihoods, offering renewed hope for biodiversity protection and sustainable tourism in northwestern Uganda.
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