Giraffe translocation breathes new life into Ajai W

________________ On a chilly Tuesday morning, as the clouds were still washing the dust off Pakwach town, a team of wildlife rangers, veterinary doctors and media personnel were already braving the early morning drizzles at Tangi Gate for a briefing before entering Murchison Falls National Park. The excitement was unmistakable, yet so was the sense of responsibility. Before the day was over, three Nubian giraffes would begin a carefully orchestrated journey to Ajai Wildlife Reserve in Madi-Okollo district, West Nile, marking the first phase of an ambitious programme by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) to restore one of Uganda's once-forgotten conservation landscapes. The operation, led by Dr Patrick Atimnedi, UWA's assistant commissioner in charge of veterinary services, is expected to see a total of 12 Nubian giraffes translocated to Ajai Wildlife Reserve. "We want to expand the range of these critically endangered Nubian giraffes as well as diversify the species in Ajai wildlife reserve," noted Dr Atimnedi during the translocation exercise on July 21, 2026. As dawn broke over the sprawling savannah of Murchison Falls National Park, the team moved with military precision. Wildlife veterinarians prepared immobilisation equipment while rangers coordinated logistics, ensuring the safety of both the animals and personnel. Every stage of the exercise demanded patience, expertise and teamwork. Translocating giraffes is no ordinary undertaking. Their exceptional height and unique physiology make them among the most challenging large mammals to move. Once safely sedated, each giraffe was gently lowered to the ground, with its eyes and ears carefully covered, and was constantly monitored by veterinarians before being loaded onto specially designed transport trucks.