Rwanda will import young Rhino

The last black rhino in Rwanda’s Akagera National Park, some 70 km east of Kigali, died recently

KIGALI (Xinhua) -- The Rwandan government has released about $ 12.3 millions dollars to import 15 young rhinoceros following the extinction of the animals from the Akagera National Park located in eastern region of the Central African nation, an official source revealed on Sunday.

The head of Tourism and Conservation at Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Rica Rwigamba was quoted by the press release as saying that the rhinos would be imported from South Africa and Kenya though a project which is expected to cost a total amount of$ 12.3 million.

It is expected that the first set would arrive in Rwanda between January and March of 2012.

The last black rhino in Rwanda ’s Akagera National Park , some 70 km east of Kigali , died recently.

The Park, established in 1934 along the Rwandan-Tanzanian border, boasts many species of wildlife, including elephants, lions, giraffes, leopards, gazelles, zebras, snakes, crocodiles and panthers.

Rwigamba said the Rwandan government was also negotiating with the International Fund for Animal Welfare to help fund conservation projects.

“We are keeping good contacts with the branch of this Nairobi- based institution and we hope that these talks will produce good results,” she added.

Since April 2011, Rwanda allocated another $ 2.3 millions dedicated to finance the installation of an electric fence around Akagera national park, as part of initiatives to limit the continuing destruction of the natural reserve, which has been cut by two thirds over the last two decades, and to resettle Rwandans who have returned home since the genocide againts Tutsis in 1994.