Minister Nakawuki tracks Ajai white rhinos, rallies

On a guided tour of Ajai Wildlife Reserve in Madi Okollo district, West Nile subregion, a rare sound cut through the trees. It was not a bird, but a game ranger signalling to colleagues ahead. A few seconds later, a similar sound echoed back from the thicket. That was how tourism state minister Suzan Nakawuki Nsambu, together with a team from the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and other stakeholders, moved on foot through the reserve, tracking its newest inhabitants, the white rhinos that were relocated there in January this year. The game ranger walked the team through every detail of the tracking process. "These are fresh footprints on the path; the fresh dung means the animals are close by," he explained. The mission was simple: to find the white rhinos and confirm that they were adapting well to their new home. After walking for just over half a kilometre, the team paused. Rangers instructed them to stop at a safe distance to avoid disturbing the animals. Beneath the shade of towering mvule trees lay four massive white rhinos. The day's heat and the long walk appeared to have taken their toll as the animals rested calmly. Rhinos pictured from a distance in Ajai