Category: News

Uganda is a greatly gifted nation with both nature and wildlife, hence being one of the top countries in Africa best for safari experiences. Uganda receives a large number of tourists annually, who come with different aspects – some go to Uganda to trek the mountain gorillas, well as others go there specifically for viewing the big game as others go there for birding and others are very much interested in the impressive culture that Uganda has got. Many people keep on wondering as to why most people go visit this small and third world country – Uganda!! However the fact is that; Uganda attracts a large number of tourists due to its extraordinary features such as; its good climate, varied wildlife, welcoming and friendly people, fantastic cultures, and the endless adventurous places, all which even made it to get the name of ‘’Pearl of Africa’’ which was given to it by Sir Winston Churchill. Below are some of the unforgettable wildlife safari experiences in Uganda;

1. Gorilla Trekking

Uganda is one of the only three refuges of the endangered mountain gorillas all over the world and these gentle giant apes attract a substantial number of individuals from all over the world to go trek these primates. The other two mountain gorilla refuges in the world are; Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. Uganda is the only country with two national parks protecting the mountain gorillas – Bwindi Impenetrable forest and Mgahinga National Park, all found in southwestern Uganda.  Meeting these gentle apes is a life changing experience and the activity (gorilla trekking) involves hiking since the mountain gorillas live in mountainous forested areas. The activity is recommendable to only individuals above the age of 15 years and those who are mentally stable and physically fit because it is tiresome at most cases.

Though tiresome, gorilla trekking is very joyous and memorable and once you meet the gorillas, surely you will forget all the difficulties that you encountered during your primate safari. For you to trek the mountain gorillas in any of Uganda’s two Parks, you are required to have a gorilla permit which costs US$ 600 in Uganda and the activity of trekking the gorillas is done in groups of 8 individuals per each group trekking. Besides the interesting gorilla trekking activity, Bwindi also offers another fascinating activity about the gorillas – gorilla habituation, where you will come to know more about the mountain gorillas since during the habituation of gorillas you are given much time with them. Gorilla habituation is a process of making the wild gorillas to become used to humans and in this process, you will spend 4 hours with the gorillas instead of the one hour you are given to spend with the gorillas during gorilla trekking. A gorilla habituation permit costs US$ 1500.

2. Bird Watching

Talking of birding safaris in Africa, definitely Uganda should be the first destination to think about simply because this small-beautiful country comprises of various amazing birding sites including the mighty Semuliki National Park – ‘the true birders haven’!! In Africa, Semuliki Park is the best destination for serious birders as the Park comprises of almost every African bird species that a birder could want to experience on his/her birding safari. Uganda, at large, comprises of over 1000 bird species in its best birding paradises which include; Semuliki National Park, Budongo forests (Murchison Falls National Park), Kibale Forests National Park, Mgahinga National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable Forests National Park, Mabamba bay wetland, Queen Elizabeth National Park, and others. The most suitable and appropriate time for bird watching are the morning hours and in the late evenings. Among the bird species to spot in Uganda include; the crested Uganda (Uganda’s national bird), shoebill storks, marabou storks, African green broadbill, green-breasted pitta, great blue turaco, standard-winged nightjar, Shelley’s crimsonwing, short-tailed warbler, and many others.

3. Lion Tracking

Lion tracking is such a very unique experiential tourism activity whereby a traveler gets a chance to view lions often closer than the usual game drives where you don’t get to learn and understand into detail about the lions. Tracking the lions in their natural habitats in Uganda can only take place in western Uganda’s national park – Queen Elizabeth National Park, of which the activity is most suitable in the morning and late afternoon hours and it is done twice in a particular day. The activity is really exceptional and magnificent and many travelers enjoy doing this, therefore if you are also interested to join the researchers in the field as they track the lions in their natural habitats you are highly emphasized to book in advance such that you don’t miss out this awesome activity which others call it breathtaking!! The Lion tracking permit costs US$ 150.

4. Rhino Tracking

Rhinos are among the so called popular ‘African big five’ – Lions, Elephants, Rhinos, Buffaloes, and Leopards, and every wildlife lover in Africa would wish to see these popular animals. Unfortunately today the rhinos are on the verge of going extinct due to heavy poaching and in Uganda the animals can only be tracked from the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, a 3 hours’ drive from Uganda’s capital city (Kampala). Tracking the rhinos in the sanctuary is quite affordable as you will only be required to pay US$ 50 which will help in conservation of the rhinos such that they can be re-introduced back in the national parks.

5. Cheetah Safaris

The cheetah is the fastest land animal on earth and it is among the three African big cats which include; African lions, African leopard and the African cheetah. Cheetahs are all over the African continent though rarely spotted in Uganda (the pearl of Africa) and the cheetah safaris in Uganda can only be conducted in the northern parts of the country – in the magnificent Kidepo Valley, True African Wilderness. Cheetahs are addicted to the open grasslands, savannas, even hills, and mountains all which Kidepo Valley National Park is composed of. The cheetah safaris in Kidepo can be accompanied with views of other big games such as; lions, leopards, buffaloes, elephants, and various bird species.

A continuing global failure to crack down on a booming trade in body parts from endangered animals could soon cause some species – including rhinos and tigers — to “wink out” of existence, a conservation advocate warns. But a couple of recent developments, including a recent United Nations decision to make combating wildlife crime a core concern, and a “potentially powerful” new International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC) – could spur needed action.

“In spite of significant recent advances in understanding how to conserve species, we are failing to conserve some of the most beloved and charismatic, with severe population losses, shrinking ranges and extinctions of subspecies,” Elizabeth Bennett of the Wildlife Conservation Society in Bronx, New York write in Oryx: The International Journal of Conservation. The Sumatran rhinoceros, for instance, “is almost certainly now extinct in Thailand and probably in Peninsular Malaysia,” she writes, and “even formerly seemingly-secure populations are now at risk: South Africa lost almost 230 rhinoceroses to poaching during January–October 2010, one every 30 hours.”

The main reason for the killing, she notes, “is hunting for illegal trade in highly valuable body parts. Such trade is increasingly controlled by organized criminal syndicates with sophisticated smuggling methods and modes of operation.” The smugglers bribe officials, and hide goods in secret compartments in cargo containers carrying legal products. And they are often working for criminal networks that feed demand in wealthy Asian nations, with webs “radiating out across Asia and Africa ultimately link to the markets of East Asia. “The traders are also light on their feet, frequently changing routes and modes of operation as enforcement commences in any one place,” she notes.

And the contraband can be extensive: Last year, for instance, officials seized 239 African elephant tusks at Bangkok International Airport, and in 2007 Russian authorities seized 332 tiger bones, two tiger skulls, 531 saiga antelope horns and 283 Asiatic black bear paws near the Chinese border.

Unfortunately, Bennett writes, “the legislation and methods of addressing illegal wildlife trade in many countries were not developed to tackle this type of organized crime,” which can include things like web sites touting the sale of illegal wildlife products. And enforcement of conservation laws is too often lax or not taken seriously. “To save these species this trade must be treated as serious crime,” she writes, arguing that “we have taken our eye off the ball… Where enforcement is thorough, and with sufficient resources and personnel, it works… But such programs are lamentably rare and resources applied to combating such crime generally grossly inadequate.”

What’s needed now is “a total change in the way that wildlife crime is treated by governments and wider society,” she concludes. That means hiring more investigators and providing better training and equipment. And it means taking advantage of the international agreement on wildlife crime to strengthen global partnerships. “Unless we start taking wildlife crime seriously and allocating the commitment and resources appropriate to tackling sophisticated, well-funded, globally-linked criminal operations,” Bennett predicts that “populations of some of the most beloved but economically prized charismatic species will continue to wink out across their range and, appallingly soon, altogether.” – David Malakoff | June 24, 2011

Source: Bennett, E. (2011). Another inconvenient truth: the failure of enforcement systems to save charismatic species. Oryx, 1-4 DOI: 10.1017/S003060531000178X

Tropical rainforests are home to more than half the world’s species and play a crucial role in maintaining the health of our planet and the stability of our climate through the ecosystem services they provide. Independent filmmaker Steve Taylor has traveled across Africa, Amazonia and Borneo to explore first-hand the complex issues of deforestation and degradation. The first two in a trilogy of films about tropical forests and the people and wildlife who depend on them are now available. The Year of the Gorilla campaign, alongside others, supported the making of these films and is happy to announce their completion.

Africa’s Green Heart takes us from the slums and diamond pits of Sierra Leone to the depths of the Congo Basin. Dramatic film of bushmeat hunters and life on Congo riverboats contrast with rare gorilla behaviour and moving interviews with forest communities, loggers and conservationists.

Latin America’s Green Heart documents life in the Amazon Basin, from melting glaciers in the Andes to the lush rainforests and boom-towns of Peru and Brazil. A shaman explains the medicinal uses of plants, contrasting with the drivers of deforestation – cattle ranching and soy farming.

The third part, Asia’s Disappearing Green Heart, focuses on the devastating forest losses in South East Asia, which are driven especially by timber felling and the creation of gigantic plantations for the production of palm oil. It will be completed this week and will also become available for purchase soon. YoG Ambassador Ian Redmond opined: ”These beautiful, thought provoking films are both an educational resource and a call to action to ensure the forests survive.”

To find out more about Steve’s exciting journeys and the movies, please go to his website www.greenheartfilm.com

KAMPALA — Outraged conservationists said on Wednesday that Uganda had neither enough game nor adequate control mechanisms to reintroduce sport hunting on animals such as elephant and buffalo.

Animal and environmental protection groups were angered by the Uganda Wildlife Authority’s (UWA) decision to sell shooting licences in a bid to boost tourism revenue.

“I do not believe that Uganda has enough game animals to sustain sport hunting,” Samuel Maina, of Nairobi-based WildlifeDirect, told AFP.

UWA spokeswoman Lillian Nsubuga said population levels had recovered from years of war in some areas and argued that ending the decades-old ban would contain crop-crunching elephants and buffalos while creating jobs.

Maina voiced doubts that the 90 percent loss of the large mammal population during the unstable 70s and 80s had been reversed.

“Sport hunting is thus likely to be unsustainable in the designated hunting areas and there is a likelihood that to sustain this lucrative sector, Uganda will have to extend hunting into protected areas,” he said.

Achilles Byaruhanga of Nature Uganda, a Kampala-based advocacy group, also judged the initiative to be dangerous because it is impossible to know the real strength of big game populations in Uganda national parks.

“I would want to ask UWA: Where is your data and your information coming from? Just because some animals have moved out of a wildlife reserve doesn’t mean their numbers are strong enough for sport hunting,” he told AFP.

UWA chief Moses Mapesa said that big game hunting was happening already and that the plan was simply for Uganda to benefit from it.

“In the absence of controlled hunting we have had a loss of animals and a loss of potential revenue,” he said.

But Byaruhanga argued that the reintroduction of legal hunting was unlikely to stop illegal hunting by needy local communities or create enough guide jobs to provide a viable alternative.

Maina also warned that Uganda had not proven it had the capacity to control the hunting effectively.

“Hunting-law enforcement is going to be difficult when new hunting blocks are opened. I doubt UWA has enough personnel and machinery to prevent abuse of the hunting licenses and concessions,” he said.

Maina also argued that sport hunting was incompatible with the east African country’s current attempts to enhance its international image as a destination for ecotourism, with gorillas the main attraction.

“Ecotourism and sport hunting are more or less mutually exclusive. Ecotourists do not want to go to places where wildlife is being killed,” he told AFP.

“The growth of sport hunting tourism will give Uganda a bad name as an ecotourism destination and is thus likely to reduce earnings from ecotourism including gorilla tracking,” he added.

Here’s another of Ian Redmond’s YoG interviews, this time with John Kahekwa at the Kahuzi Biega National Park. The park has lost most of its gorillas and elephants to poaching related to coltan mining and the war which started in 1994, and the absence of their ‘gardening’ activities has led to profound changes in vegetation cover and other ecosystem features.

Law enforcement officials investigating the source of confiscated ivory (605 elephant tusks) in Hong Kong had no clue where the stash originated before leaving Douala, a port city in Cameroon. DNA technology, however, was able to verify that many of the tusks once belonged to forest elephants that lived in southern Gabon, near the Republic of Congo border.

Extracting elephant DNA from confiscated ivory could be an important tool to take wildlife investigations a step farther and to stop poaching at its source. Such expensive forensic work may become necessary to protect dwindling elephant populations and curb the illegal ivory market before it grows completely out of control.

“In big seizures, there’s a very strong tendency to ship ivory out of a different country than where it’s poached… It’s a bit of a red herring,” said Samuel Wasser, director of the University of Washington’s Center for Conservation Biology and the lead author of the study, published in this month’s issue of Conservation Biology (Full report >>). “The methods we developed are very important in that regard because it focuses where the poaching is ongoing

Barcelona, Spain, 6 October, 2008 (IUCN) – The most comprehensive assessment of the world’s mammals has confirmed an extinction crisis, with almost one in four at risk of disappearing forever, according to The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™, revealed at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Barcelona.

The new study to assess the world’s mammals shows at least 1,141 of the 5,487 mammals on Earth are known to be threatened with extinction. At least 76 mammals have become extinct since 1500. But the results also show conservation can bring species back from the brink of extinction, with five percent of currently threatened mammals showing signs of recovery in the wild.

“Within our lifetime hundreds of species could be lost as a result of our own actions, a frightening sign of what is happening to the ecosystems where they live,” says Julia Marton-Lefèvre, IUCN Director General. “We must now set clear targets for the future to reverse this trend to ensure that our enduring legacy is not to wipe out many of our closest relatives.”

The real situation could be much worse as 836 mammals are listed as Data Deficient. With better information more species may well prove to be in danger of extinction.

“The reality is that the number of threatened mammals could be as high as 36 percent,” says Jan Schipper, of Conservation International and lead author in a forthcoming article in Science. “This indicates that conservation action backed by research is a clear priority for the future, not only to improve the data so that we can evaluate threats to these poorly known species, but to investigate means to recover threatened species and populations.”

The results show 188 mammals are in the highest threat category of Critically Endangered, including the Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardinus), which has a population of just 84-143 adults and has continued to decline due to a shortage of its primary prey, the European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus).

China’s Père David’s Deer (Elaphurus davidianus), is listed as Extinct in the Wild. However, the captive and semi-captive populations have increased in recent years and it is possible that truly wild populations could be re-established soon. It may be too late, however, to save the additional 29 species that have been flagged as Critically Endangered Possibly Extinct, including Cuba’s Little Earth Hutia (Mesocapromys sanfelipensis), which has not been seen in nearly 40 years.

Nearly 450 mammals have been listed as Endangered, including the Tasmanian Devil (Sarcophilus harrisii), which moved from Least Concern to Endangered after the global population declined by more than 60 percent in the last 10 years due to a fatal infectious facial cancer.

The Fishing Cat (Prionailurus viverrinus), found in Southeast Asia, moved from Vulnerable to Endangered due to habitat loss in wetlands. Similarly, the Caspian Seal (Pusa caspica) moved from Vulnerable to Endangered. Its population has declined by 90 percent in the last 100 years due to unsustainable hunting and habitat degradation and is still decreasing.

Habitat loss and degradation affect 40 percent of the world’s mammals. It is most extreme in Central and South America, West, East and Central Africa, Madagascar, and in South and Southeast Asia. Over harvesting is wiping out larger mammals, especially in Southeast Asia, but also in parts of Africa and South America.

The Grey-faced Sengi or Elephant-shrew (Rhynchocyon udzungwensis) is only known from two forests in the Udzungwa Mountains of Tanzania, both of which are fully protected but vulnerable to fires. The species was first described this year and has been placed in the Vulnerable category.

But it is not all bad news. The assessment of the world’s mammals shows that species can recover with concerted conservation efforts. The Black-footed Ferret (Mustela nigripes) moved from Extinct in the Wild to Endangered after a successful reintroduction by the US Fish and Wildlife Service into eight western states and Mexico from 1991-2008. Similarly, the Wild Horse (Equus ferus) moved from Extinct in the Wild in 1996 to Critically Endangered this year after successful reintroductions started in Mongolia in the early 1990s.

The African Elephant (Loxodonta africana) moved from Vulnerable to Near Threatened, although its status varies considerably across its range. The move reflects the recent and ongoing population increases in major populations in southern and eastern Africa. These increases are big enough to outweigh any decreases that may be taking place elsewhere.

“The longer we wait, the more expensive it will be to prevent future extinctions,” says Dr Jane Smart, Head of IUCN’s Species Programme. “We now know what species are threatened, what the threats are and where – we have no more excuses to watch from the sidelines.”

The project to assess the world’s mammals was conducted with help from more than 1,800 scientists from over 130 countries. It was made possible by the volunteer help of IUCN Species Survival Commission’s specialist groups and the collaborations between top institutions and universities, including Conservation International, Sapienza Università di Roma, Arizona State University, Texas A&M University, University of Virginia, and the Zoological Society of London.

More than mammals

Overall, the IUCN Red List now includes 44,838 species, of which 16,928 are threatened with extinction (38 percent). Of these, 3,246 are in the highest category of threat, Critically Endangered, 4,770 are Endangered and 8,912 are Vulnerable to extinction.

New groups of species have appeared on the IUCN Red List for the first time, increasing the diversity and richness of the data. Indian tarantulas, highly prized by collectors and threatened by the international pet trade, have made their first appearance on the IUCN Red List. They face habitat loss due to new roads and settlements. The Rameshwaram Parachute Spider (Poecilotheria hanumavilasumica) has been listed as Critically Endangered as its natural habitat has been almost completely destroyed.

For the first time, all 161 grouper species have been assessed, of which 20 are threatened with extinction. The Squaretail Coral Grouper (Plectropomus areolatus) from the coral reefs of the Indo-Pacific has been listed as Vulnerable. The fish is seen as a luxury live food and is typically fished unsustainably at its spawning aggregations, a major threat for many grouper species.

Amphibians are facing an extinction crisis, with 366 species added to the IUCN Red List this year. There are now 1,983 species (32 percent) either threatened or extinct. In Costa Rica, Holdridge’s Toad (Incilius holdridgei), an endemic species, moved from Critically Endangered to Extinct, as it has not been seen since 1986 despite intensive surveys.

New reptiles assessed this year include the La Palma Giant Lizard (Gallotia auaritae). Found on the Canary Island of La Palma and thought to have become extinct in the last 500 years, it was rediscovered last year and is now listed as Critically Endangered. The Cuban Crocodile (Crocodylus rhombifer) is another Critically Endangered reptile, moved from Endangered because of population declines caused by illicit hunting for its meat and its skin, which is used in clothing.

The Dow Jones Index of biodiversity

The IUCN Sampled Red List Index (SRLI) is a new initiative of the IUCN Red List, developed in collaboration with the Zoological Society of London. It is set to revolutionize our understanding of the conservation status of the world’s species.

The approach takes a randomized sample of species from a taxonomic group to calculate the trends in extinction risk within that group, in much the same way that an exit poll from a polling station can be used to calculate voting trends. This means that it is possible to track the fate of these species, in the same way as the Dow Jones Index tracks the movement of the financial markets.

Although species coverage on the IUCN Red List has increased in number each year, assessments have in general been restricted to the better known species groups such as birds and mammals. As a consequence, until recently the conservation status of less than four percent of the world’s described biodiversity has been known.

It can no longer be considered appropriate to base conservation decisions on such a restricted subset of species and the SRLI, which is more representative of global biodiversity, can be used to provide a broader picture.

“We are now emerging from the dark ages of conservation knowledge, when we relied on data from a highly restricted subset of species,” says Dr Jonathan Baillie, Director of Conservation Programmes at the Zoological Society of London (ZSL). “In the future we will expand the scope of our species knowledge to include a far broader range of groups, thus informing and assisting policy makers in a hugely more objective and representative manner.”

Designed to broaden the types of species covered in the IUCN Red List, the SRLI uses a sample of at least 1,500 species from selected groups to show trends in extinction risk. All the world’s birds, amphibians and mammals have now been assessed for the IUCN Red List. The first results from the SRLI are revealed this year and include results for reptile species, giving us a clearer indication of the status of terrestrial vertebrates, as well as other less well-known groups such as freshwater crabs.

One of the newly assessed freshwater crab species, the Purple Marsh Crab (Afrithelphusa monodosa) from West Africa, was almost completely unknown to science until recently. The first living specimen was found in 2005 and it has been listed as Endangered because of habitat disturbance and deforestation from agriculture in all parts of the Upper Guinea forest.

In the future the SRLI will sample other lesser-known groups such as beetles, molluscs, mushrooms, lichens and plant species like mosses and liverworts, and flowering plants. Over the coming years this new approach, which could be considered the Dow Jones Index for biodiversity, will enable us to build a clearer picture of the status of all the world’s species, not just the furry and feathered.

“Over the years, the rigour of the IUCN Red List process has built it into the ‘global gold standard’ for monitoring the conservation status and trends of species and the threats they face worldwide,” says Dr Holly Dublin, Chair of IUCN’s Species Survival Commission (SSC). “The SSC is the largest and oldest IUCN Commission, its members are proud to contribute their knowledge and expertise to delivering this amazing conservation tool to the world.”

Today I would like to introduce a new YoG project: The PALF (Project to Apply the Law on Fauna) in the Republic of Congo. The input for this blogpost was provided by Luc Mathot of The Aspinall Foundation, and you will soon hear more from this exciting project.

PALF (Projet d’Appui à l’Application de la Loi sur la Faune Sauvage) aims to legally protect endangered species in The Republic of Congo by reinforcing the application of the law on wildlife protection and by discouraging potential hunters and wildlife traffickers. The main species targeted are gorillas, chimpanzees, elephants, leopards, parrots, mandrills and others.

The most immediate threat to protected species in the Congo Republic is illegal hunting for bushmeat and animal parts and the capture of young great apes. These activities are illegal, but the lax application of the law has not curbed commercial trafficking and the killing of these species. PALF was established as a collaboration between the Aspinall Foundation and WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society), with the contribution of expertise from LAGA (Last Great Ape Organization). This NGO has been working in Cameroon for more than 6 years with very promising results which merit replication. The partners work in close collaboration with the Ministry of Forestry (MEF) and other government bodies (police, judiciary etc.).

The objectives of PALF are as follows:
–exposing all traffickers of ape meat, live apes, ivory and other illicit animal products, and collecting solid evidence for action against them
–arresting the people involved in this illegal activity
–guaranteeing that legal action will be taken, and assuring that all verdicts will be enforced
–raising awareness in the population through media coverage concerning the application of the law on wildlife protection and the risks and penalties applied.

To attain these objectives, PALF has received financial support from USFWS (US Fish and Wildlife Service) and will receive more through this blog in YoG 2009, making possible the recruitment of investigators, two lawyers and a journalist – a team which will need to be built up gradually.

The results obtained in Brazzaville after little more than 9 months have been very positive. Nine traffickers of animal products have been arrested (three cases involving ivory, four involving leopard pelts, one involving a mandrill pelt, one involving a gorilla and one involving a chimpanzee). Despite corruption and blackmailing attempts, one trafficker of chimpanzee products has been brought to trial in the Congo. The defendant was sentenced to one year in prison and fined 1,100,000 CFA (1,679 Euro). Between September 2008 and May 2009, more than 170 articles have been published or broadcast in the Congolese media (press, television and radio), with the result that the Congolese population (particularly in Brazzaville) is now well informed about the dangers and consequences of trafficking animal products.

Law enforcement is a priority both in situ within the protected areas and in regard to the trafficking of animal products between the wild animals’ habitats and the urban areas. We are hoping that different sponsors, NGOs and government organisations, will all get involved in similar projects to apply the experience from PALF. In this way, the PALF slogan “zero tolerance for crimes against wildlife” will become a reality in Central Africa. In the words of Leonardo Da Vinci: “The day will come when the killing of an animal will be punished in the same manner as the killing of a human.

The Bonobo Conservation Initiative (BCI) joins the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in announcing the official establishment of the Kokolopori Bonobo Reserve, a community-managed protected area which harbors one of the largest known wild populations of the endangered bonobo.

The Kokolopori Bonobo Reserve is the pilot and model site for the Bonobo Peace Forest, a proposed constellation of community-based nature reserves supported by sustainable development.