Southern White Rhinos Return to Garamba National Park After Two Decades
Southern white rhinos have been reintroduced to Garamba National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with trucks transporting the animals into the park in December 2025 and January 2026 – nearly 20 years after the last northern white rhino was lost to poaching in 2006. The reintroduction follows two decades of sustained partnership between the European Union, African Parks, the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN), and local communities, aimed at restoring governance, security, and ecological function across one of Central Africa's most strategically significant landscapes.
The return of rhinos to Garamba signals more than a conservation milestone, reflecting the broader impact of long-term institutional investment in a region historically marked by instability. The park now employs around 500 full-time staff and supports over 2,000 additional workers on temporary contracts, making it one of the largest employers in the area. EU-backed initiatives have also extended to community development, including solar energy infrastructure, health programmes, and education services reaching thousands of residents annually. African Parks CEO Peter Fearnhead noted that the reintroduction has been made possible by the systems, protection measures, and community trust built over years of consistent partnership, while describing the recovery of Garamba as a step towards establishing conservation-based economies across the region.
Source: African Parks
