Rwanda To Import Rhinos and Lions

Rwanda will start importing rhinos and lions from South Africa next year, after its own wildlife was decimated by poaching and conflict. Rwanda has only one rhino, while lions disappeared when refugees returning home after the 1994 genocide occupied parts of a national park.

Tourism officials say they have begun fencing the park and work will be finished in February next year. Highly endangered mountain gorillas are Rwanda's main tourist attraction.

Rwanda’s tourism director Rica Rwigamba says, "We have began fencing the park. The work will be finished in February 2012 and after that the reintroduction of these species will be one of our priorities."

The mountain gorillas are concentrated in the Virunga Massif that straddles the border between Rwanda, DR Congo and Uganda.