Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

Ziwa rhino sanctuary is a special animal sanctuary in Uganda, introduced in 2005 re-storing southern white Rhinos in the wild, the sanctuary is known as the only place in Uganda where you can find these endangered animals. The sanctuary is co- operative with the ziwa Rhino and wildlife Ranch, who own the land where the sanctuary sits and the Uganda Wildlife Authority, according to the government agency responsible in protecting the Uganda’s wildlife resources confirmed that in June 2021, the ranch was home to 33 Rhinos.

Ziwa Rhino and wildlife ranch located in Nakasongola district commonly known as a home of only wild rhinos in Uganda. Located 176km(100miles) North of Kampala on the Gulu highway towards Murchison falls branch off at Nakitoma trading center. Ziwa is the only place where you will have opportunity to see the Rhinos in the wild. However, the sanctuary has increased the number of tourists coming for Rhino trekking, shoebill trek a canoe Ride, Bird watching, Night walk and Relaxation.

Ziwa Rhino sanctuary is co-operative with the Uganda wildlife Authority, Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch limited, a special land management company applied to the restablishment of the Uganda’s rhinoceros’ population. The sanctuary offers a safe place where the Rhinos can expand through breeding, protect them from human beings and non-human beings, slowly re-establishing them in Uganda national parks, at the same time giving opportunity to the public to enjoy them, as the project moves on.

A group of 78 park rangers and security guards keep looking at the rhinos 24hours daily, 7days a week to ensure that they are safe. The 70km2 sanctuary is surrounded by 2metres electric fence to keep the rhinos in and the invaders out. The sanctuary is a home of over 40 mammal’s species and reptiles for example antelopes, monkeys, hippos, crocodiles and beautiful bird species. The sanctuary has got different accommodation facilities for the tourists includes guest house, budget accommodation, safari lodge, campgrounds having restaurants which offer meals to the tourists. On foot rhino trekking tourist activities include birding, canoe rides and nature walks.

Both the Black Rhinoceros and the Northern White rhinoceros are native to Uganda. Due to some factors for example battle, appropriating and the mishandle of their natural habitat, by 1982, both species were removed out of the country. Ziwa rhino sanctuary was introduced in 2005 to re store the southern white rhinoceros to Uganda. The target of the sanctuary is to “construct a reliable rhinoceros’ population and re assign rhinos back to their Uganda’s protected original habitat”. In January 2010, Ziwa Rhino sanctuary was the wild in Uganda where rhinos were found in their natural habitat.

Beginning with a total of six animals, four were bought from solio Ranch in Kenya and two contributed from Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Orlando, Florida, in the United States, the rhino population had expanded to thirteen in June 2013. After the birth of another calf in April 2014, the total rhino population at Ziwa Ranch came up to 15. In March 2018, the rhino numbers at the sanctuary expanded to twenty –two animals, and 33 in December 2021.