Decades after local extinction, Uganda has reintroduced rhinos into the wild, a move conservationists have described as historic.   

Four southern white rhinos were released into Ajai Wildlife Reserve in Madi-Okollo District, northwestern Uganda, the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), a state-run conservation agency, said in a statement issued Wednesday.

According to the UWA, critical infrastructure has been installed across the reserve to support the rhino reintroduction program. The installations include an electric fencing system, ranger outposts to enhance surveillance and rapid response, and a water supply network serving both the sanctuary and the wider reserve.

"The four rhinos are now under close observation as they adapt to their new environment," the statement said, adding that a second phase, involving 16 more rhinos, will take place after successful monitoring and stabilization of the first group.

UWA Executive Director James Musinguzi described the reintroduction of rhinos into the wild as "a new chapter in the country's conservation journey."

By 1965, Ajai Wildlife Reserve supported about 60 of Uganda's remaining 80 rhinos. However, the population was wiped out by the early 1980s due to rampant poaching and prolonged insecurity, according to the UWA.

Uganda launched a rhino recovery program in 2005 with the introduction of six rhinos at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. As of December 2025, the country's rhino population had grown to 59 southern white rhinos. | NNA TV+ | Xinhua