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Following the birth a few months ago of 'little Obama', the first rhino born in Uganda for about 30 years, good news just emerged from the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, when the Chairman of the Rhino Fund Uganda, Dirk ten Brink, informed this correspondent of the second birth on the 07th of October, this time from Bella'. Bella comes originally from the Solio Sanctuary in Central Kenya near Nyeri, and is now 10 years old. There are now 6 adult rhinos, three males and three females on the 17.000 acre sanctuary and of |
 (Mother Bella and a little rhino of yet to be determined gender. Picture courtesy of Mrs. Angie Genade) |
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course the two young ones. 'Little Obama' is now up and running and visits to him and his still very protective mom are finally possible, as long as safe distances are kept between the visitors and the rhinos, but Bella has gone into 'overdrive' to keep rangers, wardens, guides and other staff of the sanctuary away from the newborn, resulting in no gender being established as yet. Once that is accomplished the name giving will be attended to.
'Bella' was the first to become pregnant some two years ago but then suffered complications and lost her unborn baby and it is of special joy at Ziwa that she has finally entered 'proper motherhood'.
The Rhino Fund Uganda made all this happen with the help and assistance of many donors and sponsors, which allowed to build the sanctuary at Ziwa Ranch - courtesy of Capt. and Mrs. Roy who granted the land use rights for initially thirty years and then moved their cattle to a neighbouring estate - while the funds raised, including a major grant from the European Union, helped to fence the 17.000 acre ranch and turn it into a proper sanctuary. That was achieved after the RFU had first built a rhino enclosure at the Wildlife Education Centre in Entebbe, and obtained two rhinos sponsored by the Kampala Sheraton Hotel and the Ruparelia Group, aptly named Sherino and Kabira.
Visitor numbers, since the arrival of 'little Obama' have soared but financial sustainability of the sanctuary is still some time off, as vet bills, security cost, ongoing capital expenditures and recurrent expenses keep racing ahead of the monthly income.
Write to Angie, the RFU's Executive Director and CEO of the Sanctuary via angie@rhinofund.org for more information how best to contribute to the upkeep of Ziwa and to help the breeding programme. The success at Ziwa will determine how fast the first rhinos can then be relocated to their 'original' environment like the Kidepo Valley National Park and the Murchisons Falls National Park.
But for now, the arrival of baby number two - number three is expected in early 2010 if not before - will be a boost for tourism and conservation in Uganda and hopefully bring yet more visitors to the sanctuary. |
