The Uganda Atlas

Conservation areas: Wildlife

Area (sq. km)

23%

National Parks Wildlife reserves Wildlife sanctuaries Community wildlife areas

Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) 2008

57%

18%

2%

Proportional area coverage of each of the conservation categories

Gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (2008)

U ganda is rich in wildlife resources that are located in both gazettted areas and on private lands. In addition to forest reserves, Uganda has four types of wildlife protected areas namely national parks, wildlife reserves, wildlife sanctuaries, and community wildlife areas; classified according to the degree of protection accorded. These areas are entirely for conservation of wildlife. There are six forest national parks namely Mgahinga, Bwindi impenetrable, Kibale, Semliki, Rwenzori Mountains and Mt. Elgon. There are also four savannah ecosystem national parks namely Lake Mburo, Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls, and Kidepo. The National parks occupy a total area of 11,150 km 2 (4% of the country’s area). There are also ten wildlife reserves which occupy 8,760 km 2 (3.6% of the country’s area) of the country’s area, and consist primarily of grassland with patches of dry woodland and scrubland. In addition, there are seven wildlife sanctuaries and thirteen community wildlife areas. Overall, protected

wildlife areas occupy about 20% of the area of Uganda, which is quite a significant proportion.

Uganda boasts of a diversity of wildlife both flora and fauna species; which are mainly due to a diversity of landscapes that lead to different ecosystems ranging from mountain, tropical forests to savannah grasslands. The conservation areas habour species of both national and global importance. The main economic benefit from the wildlife estate has been revenue earnings from tourism. The other benefits include cultural and scientific. The conservation of Uganda’s wildlife resources also has benefits of global significance. Sustainable use of these conservation areas faces many challenges such as increased population pressure leading to competition for land resources, and conflict between humans and wildlife. Wildlife conservation in Uganda faces a number of threats which include encroachment on the conservation areas for agriculture and settlements, poaching, destruction of wildlife considered to be vermin.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

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