Uganda wild life and conservation

Uganda described by churchhill as the pearl of Africa is a very untouched tourist destination. Its is still undiscovered by many travelers. However Uganda is one of the most richest countries endowed with nature and wildlife. Over 10 national wildlife parks and game reserves still untouched. With this we mean there hasn’t been mass tourism in the Uganda wildlife reserves. Each of the wildlife game reserves  has a unique feature of its own and activities in the areas. Managed by one government body called the Uganda wildlife authority responsible for conservation so there is co-existance between nature and the people of Uganda.

This governing body has in many times tried to develop and maintain a co-existance in the wildlife game reserves so there is no encroachment and destruction of the game reserves. Many procedures have been put in place to enforce this and control measures enforced. Lets look at some of these control measures and how best they have been in control. 

Anti-porching methods. Being one of the most rough enforcement method called in to stop the extinct of the few wildlife in the game reserves. Being a developing country, the locals in the rural areas closer to these wildlife parks still practice the traditional customs and poeching is one of them. The locals love for wild meat and treasure for it has been a problem to the wildlife extinction. The locals have got a tendency of being bribed by the chineese high demand for some of the wildlife products like the elephants tusks and the Rhino horn. Because they are offered much sums of money, they find no problem in hunting down these beautifull animals that could otherwise be of great help for them in the future. Its in this regard that the Uganda wildlife authority trains armed guards 24-7 in the game reserves to patrol the parks day and night. Get rid of the traps and arrest the poechers. Though there are still sturbon poechers in the parks and mainly pushed by the love for the money from foreign demand of the chineese, there has been a great decline in the poeching habits as the locals are being educated and arrested involved in the practice.

Wildlife and conservation institutions. In a measure to cub down the extinction of these natural reserves and maintain it, the government through the  Uganda wildlife authority has set up many wildlife educational centres like the katwe institution to train and educate the locals about the great role of wildlife to the community. More so, these institutions have been a great training to these park rangers and guides. Big priority has been given to the locals around these parks to train and later get employed by the wildlife authority. Many of the previous porchers have trained on now protecting the remaining wildlife and have had employment from what they almost finished off. They have learnt a lot and the importance of the wildlife in Uganda.

Education on the importance of the wildlife. Considering the illetracy levels of the community about the importance of wildlife to them and the community, The wildlife governing body has on several time and routine educated the communities around the parks and involved them in implementing these acts. Example is that it is requirement to have 80% of employees in the lodges and parks from the neighbouring community beginning with the rangers, guides and the lodges around. The lodges only have the top management from outside the park premises. Because the locals have found employment and can support their families, they now understand the clear importance of the national game reserves.

Rules and regulations in the parks.  Let’s say you are a tourist in love of the wildlife and you tend to visit some of the game parks, there are rules governing each park and always apply to all other parks. Hooting is one of the forbidden acts in the parks as that scares away these animals, driving off the designated tracks is strictly forbidden nomater how far the animals are. In the primate tracking it is a rule not to get close to the gorillas and a distance of 7m must be maintained, in the game parks, a distance of 100m must be maintained as well. The vehicle vibrations on the grounds chase away the animals from their natural habitants especially the small animals like the tortoise. Whichever means you are using whether you are on a self drive in Uganda or guided safari game drive in any kind of vehicle, its forbidden to go off track and is heavely fined upto $150. This has helped in conservation of the wildlife in Uganda game reserves.

Construction of fences. In some of the game reserves like the mburo national park south of Uganda about 250kms form kampala, fences have been constructed to avoid the encroachment by the locals and stop wild animals from escaping to the community and get killed. This has also helped the locals encroaching on the park land as well and avoiding animal-human conflict in general.

Protection of endangered species. Endangered species which are easily getting extinct like the Rhinos and gorillas have been given great protection. The rhinos despite being extinct in Uganda with the last black rhino poeched in kidepo valley national park, the ziiwa rhino sanctuary was set up and wellprotected under 24-7 serveilance to cub down the poechers. The rhinos will soon be re-established in the wildlife game reserves. The endangered mountain gorillas of bwindi are heavely protected with rangers and surveillance and research on them. Metres are observed everytime there are visitors to these great apes. 

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