King of the jungle is BACK! Lions are reintroduced into the wild in Rwanda following extinction during genocidal war 15 years ago
- A luxury safari company is behind the five lionesses being moved to the Akagera National Park
- They joined two male lions, donated from another African reserve, in a temporary 10,800-square foot enclosure
- The newly-created pride will be allowed to adjust slowly to the environment before being able to roam free
It was the return of the king in Rwanda this week as lions were reintroduced into the wild for the first time since they were wiped out after the genocide of 1994, which claimed 800,000 lives.
A luxury safari company is behind the ground-breaking project, which saw five lionesses being moved to the Akagera National Park.
They joined two male lions, donated from another African reserve, in a temporary 10,800-square foot enclosure, which will allow the newly-created pride to adjust slowly to the environment.
A luxury safari company is behind the ground-breaking project, which saw five lionesses (pictured) being moved to the Akagera National Park
Lions were reintroduced into the wild in Rwanda for the first time this week since they were wiped out after the genocide of 1994, which claimed 800,000 lives
'It is a milestone conservation achievement for both the park and the country and is a positive development that we have all joined in celebrating,' said Peter Fearnhead, CEO of African Parks, in a statement.
The transitional period will take fourteen days, and then the pride will be allowed to roam free in the national park.
Safari company &Beyond donated the female lions from the Phinda Private Game Reserve in South Africa, and on June 29 they were sedated and blindfolded to make their journey.
Described as being in the 'prime of their lives' the Rwanda Development Board said the females had been carefully selected based on their future reproductive potential and their ability to contribute to social cohesion.
Ambassador Yamina Karitanyi, the Chief Tourism Officer at the Rwanda Development Board, said: 'It is a breakthrough in the rehabilitation of the park under the public private partnership between the Rwanda Development Board and African Parks.
'The return of lions will encourage the natural balance of the ecosystem.'
They joined two male lions, donated from another African reserve, in a temporary 10,800-square foot enclosure, which will allow the newly-created pride to adjust slowly to the environment
The CEO of African Parks described the event as a milestone conservation achievement for both the park and Rwanda
Following the genocide 15 years ago, the lions in the Rwanda's national parks were poisoned by surrounding cattle herders, and soon became extinct.
While the new lions are not genetically identical, studies have proven Phinda's lions are the second most genetically diverse population in South Africa.
Located on the Tanzania border, the Akagera National Park gets its name from the Akagera River.
It is a rolling expanse of lush greenland and boasts a range of different species, including elephants and giraffes.
It's hoped the introduction of the pride will pave the way for other large animals to call the national park home.
Fearnhead said: 'It is also an initiative that bodes well for the reintroduction of rhino into Akagera which will establish the park as a Big Five destination with far-reaching, tourism benefits.'
Located on the Tanzania border, the Akagera National Park gets its name from the Akagera River. It is a rolling expanse of lush greenland, and boasts a range of different species, including elephants and giraffes
The introduction of the pride is hoped to pave the way for other large animals to call the national park home, and it is hoped rhinos will soon join the hippos and other large animals which call the reserve home
The introduction of lions is hoped to bode well for the reintroduction of rhino into Akagera which will establish the park as a Big Five destination
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by Cristina Miranda 60