The Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary completes the list of the big five
in Uganda. The Sanctuary is the only place to watch rhinos in Uganda. These wonderful creatures were victims of the guerrilla wars and civil unrests of the 1970s that saw their numbers diminish. They were also severely hunted by poachers for their horns which are a raw material for several items such as handles for knives and medicine in some parts of the world such as china. The last one is actually believed to have been killed around 1982.
The Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary was set up in 2005 to restore the rhinoceros in the Uganda wildlife. The sanctuary provides a breeding ground for the rhinos before they will be gradually released into the national game parks.
The sanctuary so far has fifteen rhino members. The first four rhinos were got from Kenya and these are called Taleo, Bella, Moja, and kori. They were later joined by Nandi and Hassani from the USA. The first baby calf was born of Nandi from USA and Taleo from Kenya. As more babies are being expected to be born, the sanctuary authority is planning to bring in more rhinos to increase the number of this wonderful wildlife.
The Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary though primarily a rhino zone also includes other animals and a host of birds that are not be missed. There are leopards, bushbucks, hippos, rare shoebill, and crocodiles.
Rhino tracking at the sanctuary is done in company of a ranger that improvises as the guide.
The sanctuary is located about 175km on the Kampala – Gulu highway at Nakitoma town center.