Nakasongola sanctuary gets third rhino

Jan 04, 2010

Another rhino was born on the night of January 2, at the Nakasongola Rhino Sanctuary. Two others were born last year.

By Gerald Tenywa

Another rhino was born on the night of January 2, at the Nakasongola Rhino Sanctuary. Two others were born last year.

“We have started the New Year with another birth,” said Angie Genade, who heads the Rhino Fund Uganda.

“We are excited about the birth and the prospects it will bring to the sanctuary.”

This brings the total number of rhinos at the sanctuary to nine.

“We have three adult males and three females as well as two baby males born last year,” said Angie.

“It is too early to establish the gender of the new baby because the mother is very protective and keeping away from the larger group.”

Kori, one of the four rhinos who moved from Solio ranch in Kenya to the sanctuary four years ago, mothered the new baby.

Angie said the business community would be involved in naming the baby in a bid to fundraise for the sanctuary.

According to Sam Mwandha of the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), the country was offered 10 white rhinos from South African national parks.

“The rhinos in Uganda have started breeding and this is improving the image of the country in tourism,” he said.

Rhinos are categorised as endangered species. They are mostly hunted for their horns, which are used to make expensive daggers and aphrodisiacs in the Middle East.

In the last 20 years, global conservation efforts have contributed to the increase in the population of rhinos.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});