By Spy Uganda
Nakasongola: The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranches (ZRWR) have reopened the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to the public and resumed tourism activities at the sanctuary.
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According to a joint statement released by UWA spokesperson Hangi Bashir and signed off by the Executive Director UWA, Sam Mwandha, and (ZRWR) Captain Charles Joseph Roy, Managing Director (ZRWR), the two parties are in the process of negotiating a cooperation agreement that will promote rhino breeding and management of tourism operations at the sanctuary.
UWA and ZRWR will jointly deploy staff at the sanctuary with UWA taking up the central role of monitoring and security. UWA will also continue to provide veterinary services at the sanctuary as was the case since the rhinos were reintroduced into the country.
“ZRWR commits to providing land for the sanctuary and for the breeding programs and to providing sound management systems by developing and implementing a management plan for the sanctuary,” the statement said.
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UWA closed the sanctuary on April 20, 2021, exercising its mandate of protecting wildlife resources as per the Wildlife Act of 2019. The closure of the sanctuary as a result of irreconcilable differences between RFU and the management of ZRWR, the owners of the land on which the sanctuary was established. These differences resulted in RFU handing over management to UWA.
UWA confirmed that the current 33 rhinos received are currently in good health.
