SHOTLIST RWANDA (JUNE 10, 2025) (ANADOLU-ACCESS ALL) 1. ENDANGERED WHITE RHINOS AT AKAGERA NATIONAL PARK 2. LADISLAS NDAHIRIWE, DIRECTOR AND CEO OF AKAGERA NATIONAL PARK, SPEAKING (English) TO CAMERA 3. WHITE RHINOS 4. EUGENE MUTANGANA, ACTING DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE RWANDA WILDLIFE CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT, SPEAKING (English) TO CAMERA 5. WHITE RHINOS 6. MARTIN RICKLETON, TRANSLOCATION MANAGER OF AFRICAN PARKS, SPEAKING (English) TO CAMERA RWANDA - JUNE 10: In a historic move to protect the near-threatened southern white rhino, Rwanda has successfully translocated 70 of the animals from South Africa to Akagera National Park. The initiative, the largest of its kind in the country, aims to bolster conservation efforts and combat the species' decline due to poaching. The two-phase operation, organized by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and African Parks in collaboration with conservation partners, saw the rhinos transported over 3,400 kilometers (2,100 miles) to their new habitat. Each phase involved moving 35 rhinos, spaced three days apart, with experts ensuring their safety throughout the journey. Once widespread across sub-Saharan Africa, white rhinos have faced severe population declines due to historical hunting and relentless poaching. According to the International Rhino Foundation (IRF), Africa saw a 4% increase in rhino poaching from 2022 to 2023, with at least 586 killed last year. The southern white rhino subspecies, now classified as "near threatened" by the IUCN, has an estimated 17,000 individuals remaining. Akagera National Park, Rwanda’s largest protected savanna, hailed the translocation as a milestone. "This initiative strengthens Rwanda’s role in global rhino conservation and contributes to regional biodiversity efforts," the park said in a statement.