In the campaign to restore some of the endangered wildlife species of Uganda, the government has committed itself to restocking rhino in Ajai wildlife reserve.
Ajai wildlife reserve is one of the few tourist attractions located in North West Uganda. It is little known by tourists due to the kony civil war that distorted the region in the 90s and early 2000s. Fortunately enough, the area has stabilized and now open to tourist visits.
It should be remembered was a very popular wildlife gem in 1930-1980 when the area around it was led by chief Ajai where the reserve derives its name. This wildlife reserve had 60 of the 80 white rhinos that existed in Uganda before their extinction.
The wildlife in this Ajai was greatly affected by the poacher, human settlement and urbanization and also civil wars henceforth leading to the extinction of one of the big mammals the white rhinos.
Ajai reserve has so much to offer in terms of wildlife species namely Olive baboons, the black and white colobus monkeys and the Vervet monkeys, the warthogs, the Sitatungas, the lions, the Lelwel Hartebeest, the Leopards, the Warthogs, Sitatungas, the Blue duikers, the zebras, Common Duiker, the Oribis, as well as Uganda Kobs among others. There are several aquatic Wildlife Species such as the Hippos and the Crocodiles and other reptiles such as the Pythons.
Though it has so much wildlife, it was famously known for its white rhinos and this is why the government of Uganda has started an initiative of restocking the rhinos.
Before this pledge, the Arua district leaders had demanded that Uganda Wild Life Authority (UWA) returns the White Rhinos it took from Ajai wildlife game reserve in Arua years ago.