World Wildlife Day celebrations were made colorful with the attendance of several dignitaries at Lira City Mayor’s Garden, including the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities (MTWA) and its agencies, such as the Uganda Tourism Board, Uganda Wildlife Authority, Uganda Hotel and Tourism Training Institute, Uganda Wildlife Research and Training Institute, Uganda Museum, and the Uganda Wildlife all present in great numbers.
Dr. James Musinguzi, the Executive Director of the Uganda Wildlife Authority, addressed the gathering at Mayor’s Garden and noted that in the 60s and 70s, Uganda had a rich variety of wildlife scattered across the country.
However, as the population grew, habitats were mismanaged, and wildlife began to decline. He also mentioned that Uganda is recovering in the tourism industry due to the new government’s leadership under President Museveni, which introduced specific programs to address the challenges of managing wildlife.
“Thanks to efforts by the Uganda Wildlife Authority, we have been able to recover much of our wildlife population. For instance, the number of elephants, which had dropped to 2,000 in the entire country, has now risen to 8,000,” he said. “The number of mountain gorillas, which were fewer than 200, now exceeds 500. Although we had lost both black and white rhinos by 1983, we now have 48 at Ziwa Park. The Uganda kob population has increased from 40,000 to over 150,000,” he added.
Despite these achievements, wildlife still faces numerous challenges. “We have destroyed habitats due to population growth and human activities, creating significant challenges for wildlife authorities,” he said. “Even as our wildlife numbers increase, they continue to face problems, such as human-wildlife conflict, where elephants damage crops, and buffaloes have been known to kill people, among other issues.”
Health Minister Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, who officiated at the event on behalf of President Museveni, warned citizens against encroaching on wildlife conservation areas, such as wetlands and forests. “Stop draining wetland areas, avoid poaching, and refrain from illegal wildlife trade, trafficking of wildlife and its products, poisoning wildlife, and polluting rivers, wetlands, and lakes,” she cautioned.
She also encouraged locals to adopt sustainable farming practices that do not destroy wildlife and ecosystems and to support the restoration of degraded habitats and tree planting.
“Although the constitution mandates the government and local governments to protect and conserve wildlife, collective action and responsibility are necessary to protect our motherland.
Every citizen has a duty to protect wildlife,” she said, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding habitats, including wetlands, forests, open waters, and grasslands. “We need serious involvement and engagement from local communities and the private sector in this sector,” she added.
Uganda is one of the world’s most biodiverse countries, home to 53.9% of the world’s remaining mountain gorilla population, 11% of the world’s recorded bird species (which accounts for 50% of Africa’s bird species richness), 8% of global mammal diversity (making up 39% of Africa’s mammal richness), 19% of Africa’s amphibian species richness, 14% of Africa’s reptile species richness, and 1,249 documented butterfly species.
Therefore, Uganda must join the rest of the world in celebrating this important natural heritage, which serves as a national treasure and a major source of tourism, employment, and community income.
The Executive Director of Uganda Wildlife Authority is called Sam Mwandha.