In September, on the day when World Rhino Day is marked, the question arises once again: what exactly enables a species not merely to survive, but to return to places where it had already been considered extinct.
In Uganda, where the last wild northern white rhinoceros was killed in 1983, southern whites now graze once more. Four individuals were brought to Kidepo Valley National Park and another four to the Ajai Wildlife Reserve. Relocation helps spread the risks, as specialists at the Uganda Wildlife Authority note.
In Mozambique, in Zinave National Park, where decades of civil war turned the territory into a "silent park," 64 white and black rhinoceroses have been released since 2022. At least five healthy black rhinoceros calves have already been born. As herbivores, rhinoceroses sustain grassland ecosystems, reducing the risk of fires and creating conditions for other animals.
In India, in Manas National Park, 42 greater one-horned rhinoceroses were relocated between 2006 and 2021. Researchers recorded the birth of forty calves — a sign of successful adaptation. However, poaching remains a constant threat.
In Nepal, the population of greater one-horned rhinoceroses grew by 16,6 percent and reached 752 individuals. At the same time, GPS collars showed that relocated animals cover great distances in search of water and quality pastures. Success cannot be measured by numbers alone: the health and resilience of habitats are no less important.
Thus, the return of rhinoceroses requires not only protection from poachers, but also the restoration of fully functioning ecosystems capable of supporting populations over the long term.
