In a world where the preservation of the environment and biodiversity are at the heart of concerns, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has taken an important step in terms of wildlife protection by welcoming a dozen white rhinos in the wildlife reserve. of Garamba, in the province of Haut-Uélé. This project was made possible thanks to the collaboration of the Canadian mining company Barrick Gold, which finances the conservation of biodiversity in the region.
Garamba is home to a wide variety of wildlife such as elephants, giraffes, hippos, buffaloes and okapis. However, the white rhino population was wiped out due to poaching and armed conflict, dropping from nearly 1,000 in 1960 to just 15 individuals in 1994.
It is in this context that Barrick Gold decided to engage in a biodiversity protection project, in collaboration with the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation and African Park. According to the president of Barrick Gold, Mark Bristow, the objective is to restore the population of white rhinos in the Garamba reserve and thus contribute to the survival of this critically endangered species.
In addition to reintroducing these animals to their natural habitat, Barrick Gold is also funding the fitting of GPS collars to elephants and lions, satellite connectivity and veterinary care in the region.
The reintroduction of white rhinos in Garamba should have a positive impact on the region’s tourist attractiveness, but the governor of Haut-Uélé, Christophe Nangaa, also stresses the need to develop infrastructure so that the region can take advantage of this opportunity without endangering the natural habitat of the animals.
In short, the project to reintroduce white rhinos in Garamba is an example of successful collaboration between the business world and the world of biodiversity conservation. This project not only helps to contribute to the survival of this critically endangered species, but it also helps to strengthen the tourist attractiveness of the region while encouraging the protection of the natural habitat of animals in the region.