Box 2
Garamba National Park
Garamba National Park (4,920km˛) lies in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Established in 1938, the park is an area of outstanding natural beauty, composed of a variety of habitats, including extensive perennial grasslands that shelter large concentrations of wildlife, including what is probably the last population of the northern race of the white rhinoceros in the wild. Because of its uniqueness, Garamba was designated a World Heritage Site in 1980.
Although WWF had provided some support to Garamba in the 1960s, it was not until 1984 that WWF joined forces with IUCN and the Frankfurt Zoological Society to set up a comprehensive park rehabilitation programme in collaboration with ICCN. At that time, only about 15 white rhinos remained in Garamba. Eight years later, the population was almost 30.
Unfortunately the majority of the project's assets were lost during the December 1996-May 1997 war. Increased poaching pressure, driven mainly by the demand for meat, resulted in a number of rhinos being killed. An aerial survey carried out in May 1998 confirmed the presence of at least 23, and probably 25, rhinos. In early August 1998, less than a year after WWF had begun to help rebuild, the security situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo deteriorated again. Although the future remains uncertain, WWF will continue to work with the park authorities to develop and implement practical strategies to help protect the northern white rhino under these difficult conditions.
Source: WWF-East Africa Regional Programme Office, Nairobi.