In preparations to have the Rhinos back in the wild, in Ajai Wildlife Reserve in Madi-Okollo district, which is part of Murchison Falls Conservation Area, Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) Board of Trustees have undertaken a high-level supervisory visit to the Wildlife.

‎Led by Board Chairman Prof. James Kalema, the visit focused on evaluating progress made in restoring the reserve’s ecological and security readiness ahead of the planned reintroduction of rhinos, decades after the species was wiped out from Uganda’s wild due to poaching and civil instability.

‎Upon arrival at Ajai Wildlife Reserve headquarters, the Board Chairman, Prof. James Kalema, was received with a guard of honour, inspected a parade, and later commissioned the Ajai Wildlife Reserve headquarters offices.

Mr. Fredrick Kizza, the Chief Warden Murchison Falls Conservation took the board through critical installations across the Wildlife Reserve that form the backbone of the rhino reintroduction programme. These include; the electric fencing system under construction, ranger outposts designed to strengthen surveillance and response, and a water supply network serving both the sanctuary and the wider reserve.

‎The first batch of four rhinos is expected to arrive at Ajai early next month for initial assessments ahead of the phased introduction of additional rhinos. District leadership from Madi Okollo, including the Resident District Commissioner (RDC), the LCV Chairperson, and other local leaders, joined the visit, reaffirming local government support for the return of rhinos and the broader conservation agenda.

‎Addressing stakeholders, UWA Executive Director Dr. James Musinguzi highlighted the Board’s sustained engagement across conservation areas, noting that Ajai’s readiness reflects deliberate investment in infrastructure, manpower, and leadership.

He referenced the recently launched U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt Rhino Fundraising Campaign in New York as part of wider efforts to secure long-term financing for rhino conservation. Dr. Musinguzi also noted plans by the Authority to recruit 500 additional rangers in the coming year to further strengthen manpower.

‎The RDC of Madi Okollo, Mr. Masereka Kisembo Joshua, welcomed the progress, observing that the return of rhinos positions the district as an emerging tourism destination. He called on local communities to invest in tourism-related enterprises such as accommodation and hospitality services and appealed for continued capacity-building to enable communities to fully benefit from the presence of the reserve.

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‎In his closing remarks, Prof. James Kalema commended the Ajai Wildlife Reserve leadership for fostering strong collaboration with both communities and partners, noting that conservation success depends on trust, professionalism, and shared responsibility. He acknowledged research institutions and contractors for their contributions while emphasizing quality assurance and accountability.

The Board reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that conservation delivers tangible benefits to surrounding communities and that the reintroduction of rhinos becomes a catalyst for conservation-led development.

‎Ajai Wildlife Reserve holds deep historical significance in Uganda’s rhino conservation narrative. By 1965, the reserve supported about 60 of the country’s remaining 80 rhinos. That population was lost by the early 1980s due to rampant poaching and prolonged insecurity.

Uganda’s rhino recovery, however, stands as one of conservation’s notable success stories, with the national population reaching 59 southern white rhinos as of December 2025. This recovery traces back to the establishment of Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary following advocacy by Rhino Fund Uganda, where the first six rhinos were introduced in 2005 and 2006