AKAGERA’S LION RELOCATION ON COURSE
(Posted 11th July 2014)
A lion relocation project for Rwanda’s Akagera National Park is getting nearer to its conclusion, after essential upgrades along the 120 km long perimeter electric fence were completed recently. The overall height of the fence was raised to over 2 metres as well as additional live wires near the ground installed over the entire distance, to prevent the cats from either jumping over the fence or else trying to dig underneath it and then come into conflict with the villages near the park boundary.
Work was also finished on a lion boma, where the big cats, when they arrive, will be kept for a few weeks for monitoring before being released into the park itself. Set in the centre of the park the boma location is thought ideal to introduce the lions to the park environment with sufficient water and game after a period of observation lasting several weeks. It is understood that the lions will be collared to allow for constant monitoring of their positions
The work was carried out by park staff – the park is managed by the Akagera Management Company, a joint venture between African Parks and the Rwanda Development Board – and supporters of the park keen to see a return of lions to Akagera to enrich the safari experience for visitors to Rwanda’s only savannah park.
For more details about Akagera, and African Parks, visit www.rwandatourism.com or www.african-parks.org
