KIGALI, Rwanda 

At least 70 southern white rhinos have been translocated to Akagera National Park in Rwanda from South Africa for purposes of ensuring the survival of the special and threatened animals, officials announced Tuesday.

The translocation, done by African Parks in collaboration with the Rwanda Development Board, was completed in two phases, each comprising 35 rhinos, and spaced three days apart, according to a statement.

The move, part of African Parks’ Rhino Rewild Initiative and facilitated by The Howard G. Buffett Foundation, aims to bolster Akagera’s white rhino population so that it can contribute more meaningfully to regional conservation efforts and reinforce Rwanda’s growing role in global rhino conservation efforts.

Speaking at a news briefing in the capital Kigali, Jean-Guy Afrika, chief executive officer of the Rwanda Development Board, said the historic translocation reflects Rwanda’s growing contribution to global conservation efforts.

"Our commitment to protecting endangered species is closely tied to our vision for sustainable tourism, where thriving wildlife and well-managed protected areas like Akagera National Park create long-term value for both visitors and communities," he said.

Peter Fearnhead, the chief executive of African Parks, said the arrival of the rhinos to Akagera is just the beginning of a multifaceted, long-term and complex conservation intervention.

"There are numerous risks that still remain, but with the safe arrival of all 70 animals and with a dedicated Akagera park management team, they have a real opportunity to thrive. The coming months of intensive monitoring will be critical to ensuring the long-term adaptation of these rhinos to their new home," he said.

The Rhino Rewild Initiative is aimed at rewilding over 2,000 rhinos to safe, well-managed protected areas across the continent to ensure the establishment of several viable populations of southern white rhinos, according to the officials.

In 2021, African Parks moved 30 southern white rhinos to Akagera National Park. The initial population has since increased to 41 animals, according to data from the park.

To improve their ability to adapt to their new home, the latest rhinos were initially moved within South Africa from the Rhino Rewild site to South Africa's Munywana Conservancy, a collaboration of community and private landowners.

The preliminary stage of rewilding helped to expose the rhinos to naturally occurring diseases such as Trypanosomiasis and climatic conditions similar to Akagera.

The final phase of the 3,400-kilometer (2,112-mile) journey involved the rhinos being transported by truck in individual steel crates from the Munywana Conservancy to King Shaka International Airport in Durban, from where they were loaded by cranes into a plane to Rwanda.

They were finally transported to Akagera National Park by road, with the entire journey from the conservancy to the park covering approximately two days for each of the two groups of rhinos.

This collaborative translocation is said to be the largest of its kind.