History of the Akagera National Park
The history of Akagera National Park is important for a traveler to know because it provides background information about the park. When it comes to wildlife tours in Rwanda, Akagera National Park is the country’s crown jewel. The national park gets its name from the River Kagera, which runs through it. The park is located in Rwanda’s north-east, in the Kayonza and Nyagatare districts. Visitors enter Akagera National Park through the southern gate, which is located in the district of Kayonza. The northern gate, on the other hand, is only used to exit the park. The park’s northern gate is located in the Nyagatare district.
The national park spans 1,122km² and consists primarily of savanna, montane forests, woodland, marsh, and swamps. The park is managed by Akagera Management Company, following a 2010 agreement between Rwanda Development Board and African Parks to manage the national park.
The amazing Akagera National Park has a history dating back to colonial times. The Belgian government established the national park in 1934 to protect the park’s remaining endangered wildlife species. Previously, the park covered 2,500km² and was known for its diverse flora and fauna.
Akagera National Park in Rwanda was home to a diverse range of wildlife species, including the Big Five: lions, savannah elephants, buffaloes, rhinoceros, and leopards. This national park was previously known as the ‘Park of Lycanos,’ or ‘Parc aux Lycanos’ in French, due to the park’s large population of wild dogs. However, an epidemic in the park killed the majority of these wild dogs, and the last sighting of the species occurred in 1984.
After being relocated from Tanzania, over 50 black rhinos lived in Akagera National Park by the 1970s. However, in the years following the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, the majority of these rhinos were killed, causing the species to become extinct in the park. A large number of Rwandan refugees returned home after the genocide and settled in the national park. As a result, a large portion of the park’s forests were cleared for timber, wildlife was hunted for bushmeat, and the savannah woodlands were converted into cattle grazing grounds.
Over 25% of Akagera National Park’s forests have been destroyed as a result of ongoing poaching and land encroachment, and the park’s last rhinos were spotted in 2007. Originally, Akagera had around 300 lions, but years of poaching had driven the species to extinction until July 2015, when seven lions were transferred from South Africa’s Phinda Private Game Reserve. And Beyond, a South African NGO, donated the five lionesses to Rwanda’s Akagera National Park. Later, Tembe Elephant Park in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, donated two male lions to Akagera. This conservation project saw the reintroduction of lions to Akagera National Park after a 15-year absence.
In May 2017, 18 black eastern rhinoceros were relocated from South Africa to Akagera National Park in Rwanda. This 2,485-mile translocation resulted in the reintroduction of rhinos to the national park after a 10-year absence. This was a significant accomplishment for conservationists and staff at Akagera National Park, thanks to a collaborative effort between the Rwanda Development Board, African Parks, and the Howard Buffet Foundation.
Prior to rhino reintroduction into Akagera National Park, the majority of the park’s staff received extensive training in rhino planning, preparation, monitoring, and tracking to ensure the species’ security, safety, and multiplication in the national park. In addition, the national park has increased security by hiring and training more park rangers, establishing an anti-poaching canine unit, and purchasing a helicopter for aerial surveillance of wildlife in the park.
The management of Akagera National Park has continued to increase the number of rhinos in the park, with the most recent addition being five black rhinos transferred from three different European zoos. A Boeing 747-400F cargo plane touched down at Kigali International Airport at 2:45 a.m. on Monday, June 24, 2019. The five rhinos were transported from the Czech Republic to Rwanda’s Akagera National Park aboard a chartered plane operated by Air Atlanta.
The rhinos traveled 3,700 miles, the longest journey ever recorded in rhino translocation from Europe to Africa. Currently, Rwanda’s Akagera National Park is home to over 25 black eastern rhinos.
Tourist visits to Akagera National Park have increased significantly since 2010, when African Parks and the Rwanda Development Board took over management. In 2018, the national park received 44,000 tourist visits and earned approximately USD2 million in tourism revenue. This makes Akagera National Park 75% self-sufficient as a national park.
Visitors to Akagera National Park can participate in a variety of tourism activities, including day and evening game drives, boat cruises, hiking and nature walks, fishing, bird watching, camping, and cultural visits, among others.
Akagera National Park also has a wide range of accommodation options, including budget, mid-range, and luxury lodging services. Some of the lodging options in Akagera National Park include Akagera Game Lodge, Ruzizi Tented Lodge, Karenge Bush Camp, and Magashi Safari Camp.
Akagera National Park in Rwanda is the ideal destination for anyone looking to see savannah wildlife animals in the country. Book your Akagera tour with us and experience the best of Rwanda’s wildlife safaris.
