Duke Nicholas School and African Parks partner on Africa-wide rhino rewilding
Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment has partnered with conservation NGO African Parks to study and support the reintroduction of 2,000 captive‑bred southern white rhinos across Africa. The Rhino Rewild project began in 2024 and aims to relocate around 300 rhinos annually to protected areas such as Garamba National Park in the DRC. An anonymous US$2 million gift – split between Duke and African Parks – will fund data collection to assess ecological outcomes and improve rewilding practice.
African Parks manages 24 parks across 13 countries spanning 20 million hectares, with board member and Duke alumnus Matt Bostock helping broker the collaboration. The partnership will use drone and satellite monitoring, offer student engagement opportunities, and expand to include social science research on community impacts. Rewilding is intended to restore grasslands, waterholes and food webs – strengthening conservation outcomes that underpin nature‑based tourism across the region.
Source: The Chronicle
