News updates from #Rwanda’s #Akagera National Park

· 50% of the total 37,284 visitors to Akagera in 2017 were Rwandan Nationals

· Achieved over USD $1.6 million net in park revenue, up by over 20% on 2016 and contributing more than fifty percent to our annual budget in 2017

· Ruzizi Tented Lodge maintains Five Star rating on TripAdvisor & received a Certificate of Excellence for the third year in a row!

· Red Carpet Premiere of ‘Return of the Lion’, a Nat Geo documentary, in Kigali with over 100 invited guests including Hon. Anastase Murekezi, former Prime Minister of Rwanda

· Over 1,000 people attended the local premiere of Return of the Lion, translated into Kinyarwanda, held in the community outside the park

· Guides, Ruzizi and Karenge staff and park receptionists received interpretive training & workshops on bird, insect & plant taxonomy

· His Excellency President Paul Kagame visited Akagera and dined at Karenge Bush Camp, guided by Community Freelance Guide, Daniel

· Over 2,400 students from 37 Rwandan Schools or institutions given free or discounted entry to visit Akagera in 2017

· 4th Annual Lions Cup Football Tournament held involving a team from each of the 16 cells in the 3 districts surrounding the park with a total audience of 16,000 people

· Over USD $519,000 spent in the local community on casual staff salaries, purchasing of building materials and food, hiring and technical support and community activities

· Rhino Velo Race 30 km cycling competition saw 30 participants and 800 spectators

· 5km Rhino Fun Run held in Kayonza & Nyagatare districts with a total of 168 participants & 1,400 spectators

· 8,028 trees planted in 4 locations; 3 schools and one model village bordering Akagera

· 2,323 kgs Honey harvested by 4 cooperatives on the Akagera boundary and 92 hives donated

· 9 hyenas released into the park from community traps, two additional young ones being raised by park management for future release

· Phase 1 of Community example plot development is well underway

· Fourth Aerial Census conducted since AMC management of Akagera

· Helicopter now based in Akagera for rapid response and rhino monitoring

· Two new male lions introduced taking the Akagera lion population to 19

· 18 black rhinos reintroduced Akagera is a Big Five park again

· More than 4,800 Patrols conducted in 2017

· Three Akagera rangers completed the Intermediate and Advanced Tracking Course in Malawi

· LoRa Network installed throughout Akagera making it one of Africa’s first Smart Parks