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745 rhinos and counting
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From our CEO – Simon Espley
Is this Africa’s greatest conservation success story right now?
Two years ago, I spent a week with some of Africa’s best wildlife vets and capture crews, crating and relocating 32 white rhinos from a breeding farm to the wilds of the Greater Kruger in South Africa. That was the birth of a massive conservation success story.
Fast forward to now, and African Parks’ Rhino Rewild project has moved 745 rhinos to 19 recipient areas, which have witnessed 89 births, and 61 deaths due to natural mortality, translocation-related complications, difficulties adapting to new environments and, in the minority of cases, poaching. Hard lessons have been learned, successes compounded, and wild rhino populations are benefiting. Our story below refers.
While most of the peanut gallery bicker about ideology and semantics, African Parks raised funds to rescue the neglected rhinos (the owner had run into financial difficulties), recruited the best resources, and rolled up their sleeves.
There are two options to visit some of the rewilded rhinos in the stunning Akagera National Park:
- Chat to our safari experts for the best available advice from our Condé Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialists and 24/7 concierge service (yes, real humans) – perhaps add on gorilla and chimp trekking during the same trip.
- Or plan your own safari by booking direct here (navigate to the lodge of your choice, choose your dates and follow the easy process). Ukuri is also curated and managed by my team, voted Africa’s Leading Luxury Safari Company.
Safari njema folks!
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
Watch Simon’s podcast on Rhino Rewild below:
Or, listen to all Simon’s past editorials here
From our Editor – Taryn van Jaarsveld
Baboons, it seems, can handle urban life better than we thought. New research from South Africa’s Garden Route found that chacma baboons living around people still spent their days broadly as their rural counterparts did – feeding, resting and socialising – but with one important adjustment: more vigilance, particularly among adult males. In other words, they may carry on with business as usual, but somebody is keeping an eye on the neighbours.
There’s plenty more happening across Africa this week, from rhinos on the move to adventures in Botswana. Rhino Rewild has reached 745 rhinos moved across Africa, with calves, milestones and hard-earned lessons along the way. And we head to Botswana for the experiences that make a safari there so distinctive – mokoros, walking safaris, river cruises and nights beneath the stars.
Did you know?
We donate a portion of the revenue from every safari sold to carefully selected conservation projects that make a significant difference at ground level. YOUR safari choice does make a difference – thank you!
Our stories this week
RHINO REWILD
African Parks’ Rhino Rewild has moved 745 rhinos across Africa, recording new calves, hard lessons and major conservation milestones
TO DO IN BOTSWANA
Mokoro trips, walking safaris, river cruises & nights beneath the stars. Here are the best things to do on a Bots safari
Travel Desk – 2 African safari ideas
Botswana + Namibia landscapes & wildlife – 16 days
The best of Namibia and Botswana. This journey blends the freedom of a Namibian self-drive with the ease of a fly-in Botswana safari, from towering red dunes, ancient cultures, and desert-adapted wildlife to the floodplains and forested islands of the Okavango Delta and Chobe River, where predators and abundant wildlife thrive.
Big 5 + chimps + gorillas in Rwanda – 10 days
Three bucket-list experiences, one unforgettable journey through Rwanda. This epic safari ticks three bucket list experiences in one remarkable country, from Big Five game viewing in Akagera National Park to chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe and mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park. Along the way, discover rare golden monkeys, pied colobus monkeys, Rwanda’s remarkable conservation story, the Kigali Genocide Memorial and some exceptional coffee.
Still dreaming of the ultimate African safari escape? Browse our safari ideas here. Or click here to plan your safari.
OUR SAFARI GUESTS SAY…
AG safari guests Tim and Jane began in Cape Town with gourmet food and wine, Kirstenbosch, whale watching and a Cape Peninsula tour. Their next stop was a Big Five safari in the Timbavati, Greater Kruger.
Cape Town and Timbavati Safari. “AG provided an itinerary that was exactly what we hoped for. From the start, the communication from AG was excellent and immediate, even during our holiday. The holiday exceeded all our expectations, whether it was accommodation, location, trips, guides, food, flora and fauna!”
Check out our Cape Town tours and Kruger safaris for your next safari.
WATCH
Can you spot the kudu? With its muted colouring, vertical stripes and ability to melt into dense bush, the kudu is remarkably difficult to see. Join safari expert Stefan Winterboer to discover how this iconic antelope became a master of disguise. (01:24) Click here to watch
Cover image: A crash of rhinos surges forward. Kenya. © Preeti John
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