Lions Return to Akagera National Park
Rwanda reached a major conservation milestone this week as it reintroduced lions to the country after more than a decade of being absent. The five females and two males were donated by &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve and Tembe Elephant Reserve in South Africa. The big cats, selected for their reproductive capacity and genetic diversity, could see their first cubs born on Rwandan soil within one year.
“As we welcome back the lions to Akagera Park, we celebrate a great advance in the Rwanda’s tourism and conservation journey,” said RDB’s Chief Tourism Officer, Ambassador Yamina Karitanyi.
Akagera Management Company board member and leading conservationist, Michel Masozera, said: “The reintroduction of lions to Rwanda is testament to the government’s commitment to conservation.”
John Mugabo, the mayor of nearby Kayonza District, said that the people of the district are ecstatic about the re-introduction of lions: “We welcome the lion’s return after a long absence from the park. As a community, we are now aware of what is required to conserve and protect the lions and the park in general.”
The lions will be quarantined and monitored by a team of veterinarians for at least 14 days before being released into the wilderness of Akagera. The park has installed electric predator proof fencing around the park and improved law enforcement within the park to prevent human wildlife conflict and poaching.
Akagera, located in Rwanda’s east, is the country’s most visited national park with more than 28,000 visitors annually. In recent years, it has seen a significant growth in its animal population, a major determinant in reintroducing the lions. According to the last census conducted in 2013, Akagera is home to approximately 100 elephant, 2,500 buffalo, 1,500 impala, 1,000 hippopotamus, 1,000 waterbuck, 1,000 zebra, 60 giraffe and 90 roan antelope.
Akagera Park Manager, Jes Gruner thanked sponsors &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve and Tembe Elephant Reserve in South Africa for generously donating lions to Akagera and Turbo King Rwanda who supported the transporting of lions from South Africa to Rwanda. He concluded by saying that the lions would be well looked after.
To view photos of the lion’s journey to Rwanda, visit www.flickr.com/rdbrwanda.
Read MoreRwanda Taps into Chinese Tourism market at the Guilin Tourism Expo
Rwanda is participating at the China Guilin International Tourism Expo in China from May 29th -31st, 2015, which is taking place at the Guilin International Conference and Exhibition Center in Guangxi, China.
“The China Guilin International Tourism Expo is one of the leading tourism exhibitions that caters for both business and travel sectors. It is therefore a good platform for Rwanda to expand its partnerships and business relationships especially in the tourism industry. Rwanda has all it takes to be a premier destination for Chinese tourists,” said the Ambassador of Rwanda to China Charles Kayonga.
The expo brings together the Chinese tour and travel industry and the Association of South Asian Nations, which has a combined population of almost two billion people, with international buyers and exhibitors. This makes it a strategic platform for leading industry players to tap into the enormous and still growing Chinese and Asian tourism markets.
“With easy access to Rwanda, a destination that offers varied and exciting experiences for travelers and with continuous awareness through roadshows and fairs such as this, we expect to see an increase in the number of leisure and business tourists from China,” Ambassador Kayonga added.
In order to give the visitors at the stand a taste of the Rwanda experience, traditional and cultural dances are being performed and traditional instruments such as the famous inanga (violin) are being used to create music. In addition, there are Business to Business and networking sessions among industry players to exchange information on the various attractions and what it takes for Chinese tour companies to market the Rwanda destination.
Zhang Chao from Hunan Everbright International Travel Service Co. Ltd, one of the outb ,ound companies in China, said that; “Increasingly, our customers are asking about new experiences, Rwanda would be a potential market to look at considering what I have seen and heard here at the expo.”
The China Guilin International Tourism Expo is organized by The People’s Government of Guilin, the Guangxi International Expositions Bureau, China Guangxi Tourism Administration in partnership with The Guilin Convention & Exhibition Bureau, Guilin Municipal Tourism Bureau, and Conference and Exhibition Management Services (CEMS).
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