Akagera National Park

Imagine waking up and finding out you’ve been upgraded with a tracking device. 🦏 After being safely sedated by a dedicated veterinary team, this white rhino was fitted with a horn transmitter, an important tool that helps conservation teams track and monitor rhinos in the field for more effective protection and population management. As the anaesthetic wears off and this giant rises again, another rhino takes an important step toward a safer and better-protected future. #RhinoConservation #Akagera #RwandaWorks Video credits: Justin Sullivan and Richard Harvey

Public Notice:

Africa Day is a celebration of our continent, its people, its cultures and its future. That future begins with learning. When a young person steps into a classroom, joins a conservation club, learns practical skills, or spends time in nature with those who know it deeply, something powerful happens. Knowledge is passed on, confidence grows, opportunities emerge, and a deeper connection to people and place begins to take root. Across the landscapes managed by African Parks in partnership with governments, education is helping foster pride in their natural heritage in ways that reach far beyond the classroom. This Africa Day, explore stories of learning, shared knowledge and opportunity from across the continent. bit.ly/4nPUr6Q #AfricaDay #ConservingAfricaThroughLearning #AfricanParks

This International Day for Biological Diversity, we celebrate the incredible diversity of life in Akagera National Park and the importance of acting locally for global impact. Spanning 1,120 sq km, Rwanda’s only Big Five park protects 90 mammal species, approximately 500 bird species, more than 1,000 plant species, and countless smaller species that sustain healthy ecosystems, including butterflies, moths, and dung beetles. Through conservation, monitoring, and collaboration with surrounding communities, Akagera continues to show how local action can help protect biodiversity for future generations. #BiodiversityDay #ActLocally #GlobalImpact #Akagera #Conservation #Biodiversity

My first born son said he wanted to go to @AkageraPark for his birthday. We had fun #2026🎉

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗕𝗲𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘆, 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘆 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗸𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗮 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗸. 🐝🌍 Working with more than 25 beekeeping cooperatives in the park’s buffer zone, Akagera promotes sustainable beekeeping practices that support both biodiversity and local livelihoods. Honey harvested by these cooperatives is processed and packaged at the honey collection centre built by the park near its south entrance. From 2022 to 2025, more than 55 tonnes of honey were harvested, generating over USD 270,000 in income for local beekeeping cooperatives and their members. In 2025, support from @AFRwanda also helped women and youth beekeeper cooperatives expand their activities through financial support and modern beekeeping equipment. Have you tasted Akagera’s honey yet? Visit the Akagera Community Centre and take home a jar while directly supporting local beekeepers, women, youth, and conservation efforts. #WorldBeeDay #Akagera #Conservation #CommunityDevelopment #Beekeeping #Honey #Rwanda Footage: @kelemaa_

On this Endangered Species Day, we celebrate the recovery of some of Rwanda’s most threatened species and the continued restoration of biodiversity within Akagera National Park. The return of lions to Akagera in 2015, after nearly two decades of local extinction, restored a critical apex predator within Rwanda’s only savannah ecosystem. In 2017, eastern black rhinos were successfully reintroduced after a 10-year absence, while in 2021, 30 white rhinos were introduced to Akagera to extend the species’ range and establish a secure new breeding stronghold in Rwanda, supporting long-term population recovery and species survival. Akagera also plays an important role in conserving the Endangered Grey Crowned Crane (Balearica regulorum), Rwanda’s only crane species. Threatened by habitat loss, wetland degradation, and illegal trade, the species has faced significant population decline over recent decades. Through collaborative conservation efforts led by the Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association (@RwandaWildlife) and partners, rescued cranes are rehabilitated and relocated into Akagera, supporting the recovery of wild populations. Today, Akagera stands as a strong example of how science-based conservation, habitat restoration, and species recovery can reverse biodiversity loss. These successes continue to be made possible by the partnership of the @RDBrwanda, @AfricanParks, conservation partners, and surrounding communities working together to protect Rwanda’s natural heritage. #EndangeredSpeciesDay #Akagera #BiodiversityConservation #RhinoConservation #LionConservation #GreyCrownedCrane #SpeciesRecovery #WetlandConservation #Conservation #visitrwanda Photos: Sarah Hall, Stuart Slabbert and Keyvan Amigh

@jurdace1 @jurdace1 muduhuze n'uyu mujyambere. Mwatwandikira muri DM.

@jurdace1 👏👏👏

Ranger dedication has played a vital role in the recovery of wildlife in Akagera National Park. Since 2010, sustained protection and strong conservation management have led to a major increase in large mammal populations, rising from fewer than 5,000 to more than 11,000. In 2013, more than 2,000 wire snares were recovered; by 2025, that number had fallen sharply to just 39, and no key species have been lost to poaching since 2010. Thanks to the commitment of Akagera’s ranger teams and the support of neighbouring communities, poaching has fallen to an all-time low. This has made it possible to successfully reintroduce lions and black rhinos, restoring Akagera’s Big Five status. As a result, wildlife is flourishing, tourism is expanding, and conservation continues to contribute directly to the well-being and economic growth of surrounding communities. Photos: @Gael_RVW

@AfricanParks @EUinBotswana 👏👏👏

We are proud to be part of a new partnership for the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park - one of the region’s earliest and most enduring examples of transboundary conservation. Over the next 30 months, the governments of Botswana and South Africa (@enviromentza), the @EUinBotswana (NaturAfrica), @IUCNe and African Parks will work together to strengthen long-term management, improve coordination across this shared landscape, and support the communities whose lives are closely connected to it. While this is a shorter-term project, we hope that it will lay the foundation for longer term engagement in this important area in the future. #KgalagadiTransfrontierPark #Conservation #Botswana #SouthAfrica #AfricanParks

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐅𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦? Conservation is not only about protecting wildlife, but it is also about supporting people. For generations, communities around Akagera depended on fish and wildlife as an important source of protein, but unsustainable harvesting placed growing pressure on the ecosystem, threatening both biodiversity and local livelihoods. Creating sustainable sources of food has therefore become an important part of conservation. Through partnerships with local cooperatives, sustainable fishing practices in Akagera’s lakes now provide income to communities while ensuring affordable fish remains accessible locally. An average of 130 tonnes of fish are sustainably harvested each year, with part of the agreement ensuring affordable fish is sold weekly to neighbouring communities. As an additional initiative complementing sustainable fishing in the park’s lakes, Gishanda Fish Farm was launched in 2022 to further strengthen food security and community livelihoods. The farm provides communities with an accessible source of tilapia while promoting sustainable aquaculture, skills development, and employment opportunities. Importantly, it also supports the restocking of community dams and water bodies with tilapia fingerlings, helping generate income for local fish farmers and improve local nutrition, while strengthening broader community resilience and food systems. Visit Gishanda Fish Farm and explore sustainable aquaculture in action, experiencing sustainable fish farming from hatchling to harvest. For enquiries, email us at akagera@africanparks.org #GishandaFishFarm #SustainableAquaculture #FoodSecurity #CommunityDevelopment #Conservation Photos: @Gael_RVW and @kelemaa_

Home to around 500 bird species, Akagera National Park is a paradise for birdwatchers and nature lovers. From wetlands and lakes to savannah and woodland, the park’s diverse habitats support an incredible variety of birdlife, highlighting the importance of ongoing habitat protection and conservation. #Akagera #Birdwatching #VisitRwanda

April 2026 was a busy month for capacity building in communities surrounding Akagera National Park. Training sessions focused on strengthening cooperative governance, promoting sustainable livelihoods, beekeeping, and enhancing environmental education. Cooperative leaders, local beekeepers, and teachers from neighbouring communities acquired practical skills designed to improve business sustainability, support conservation efforts, and ensure that the economic and environmental benefits of the park positively impact future generations. Special thanks to the @RCARwanda, Lessons in Conservation, and Akagera Park's community team for facilitating these valuable trainings. #Training #Commuity #Akagera #Rwanda #Cooperatives Photo credit: @Sugirapacific

🗓️ Save the date: Friday, 4 September 2026. Join us in Kinigi, @MusanzeDistrict for the 21st @KwitaIzina, Rwanda’s annual baby gorilla naming ceremony, celebrating community-centred conservation and the collective responsibility to protect mountain gorillas and their habitat at @VolcanoesPark. #VisitRwanda | #KwitaIzina

@julesMadD awesome shots, Jules!

@AkageraPark Majestic creatures... I had the pleasure of meeting one during my visit at the park in 2021.

On International Leopard Day, we celebrate something powerful and inspiring: the resilience of leopards in Akagera National Park. Between 2000 and 2015, when lions were locally extinct, leopards stepped up as one of two large carnivores remaining in the ecosystem, helping keep nature in balance and allowing the park to continue healing. Today, that resilience is stronger than ever. Thanks to ongoing research, 59 leopards have been identified inside Akagera, with a population estimate of over 70. And this story is still unfolding. Our conservation and Research team has begun the 2026 leopard survey, which will run through September. Once completed, it will mark the first time Akagera will be able to track a clear population trend. #InternationalLeopardDay #LeopardConservation #BigCats #WildlifeConservation #ConservationInAction #Akagera #VisitRwanda #ConservationWorks #Biodiversity #research Photo credit: Drew Bantlin