Akagera National Park attributes the population boom to effective protection and habitat management, thanks to partnerships with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and the conservation NGO African Parks.
'Thanks to the partnership between RDB and African Parks, the Akagera giraffes are well protected, and their habitat remains intact,' the park said in a post on X on Monday, September 1, 2025.
Nearly 40 years after Masai giraffes were introduced to Akagera from Kenya, their population has increased from just six to 115. Thanks to the partnership between @RDBrwanda and @AfricanParks, the Akagera giraffes are well protected, and their habitat remains intact. #Rwanda pic.twitter.com/KnNSXAnL2m
â€" Akagera National Park (@AkageraPark) September 1, 2025
Large mammals like giraffes reproduce slowly and are vulnerable to predation and habitat changes, making the increase a notable conservation success. The population roughly doubled every eight years, reflecting decades of sustained wildlife management.
Established in 1934, Akagera National Park spans 1,120 square kilometres and hosts a wide range of wildlife, including elephants, buffalo, hippos, and lions, the latter recently reintroduced after a 20-year absence.
In August, Akagera National Park announced a significant increase in its lion population, which has risen from just seven individuals to 62 over the past decade.
The announcement coincided with the International Day of Lion Health.
The lion reintroduction program began in 2015, when the Government of Rwanda received seven lions, including five females, from South Africa as part of efforts to restore the species in the park.
Similar population growth is expected for the 70 southern white rhinos relocated to Akagera National Park in June this year.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
