Uganda’s anti-poaching efforts find another gear

It had been a dozen years since Keigwin founded Uganda Conservation Foundation (UCF), a not-for-profit organisation that works alongside Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) on a number of wildlife conservation projects.

“Snares are indiscriminate, anything can get trapped in them,” Keigwin, who is a recipient of the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) award, reveals, adding, “These traps maim and injure a wide range of species, including hippos, buffalos, giraffes, kobs, and lions. We have lost numerous lions to snares and traps. Some manage to survive if they are fortunate enough to receive prompt treatment from a UWA veterinarian.”

The baby giraffe did not survive. Such deaths have grossly impacted on animal populations in the parks that dot Uganda.

Take Murchison Falls National Park that had nearly 16,000 elephants in the 1960s. Along with rhinos, elephants have suffered tragic losses over the years. This has turned out to be an existential threat. 

The poaching is usually fuelled by financial motives, and usually becomes more pronounced when poverty bites.

It did just that when the Ugandan government brought in pandemic curbs to put the brakes on Covid-19.

The flooding of the Nile exacerbated matters insofar as pushing people who live near Murchison Falls National Park into poaching is concerned.

This compelled UWA and UCF to partner on a campaign that was dubbed: Recovery of Murchison Falls. Its results have been nothing short of phenomenal. Nearly 12 tonnes of lethal traps and 50,000 wire snares have been removed. The park, which once boasted of the highest density of large mammals per square kilometre in Africa, now looks primed to revive its lost glory. 

“Their dedication towards this was unbelievable,” Keigwin says of the UWA rangers and UCF community scouts who patrolled the tens of thousands of kilometres where the traps and snares were removed.

One motivating factor for the rangers and community scouts is that poachers are far from being a lost cause.  

Some of them have turned from their old ways when sensitised. Sgt Albert Odar (RIP) was for one transformed from a poacher to a ranger.

Once he saw the light, Sgt Odar spared no effort in pulling the plug on common incidents of poaching in the park. 

Keigwin vividly remembers when Sgt Odar opted to spend Christmas protecting elephants in the Tangi Valley. He says the recovery of Murchison Falls is down to the indomitable spirit of many Sgt Odars. Their efforts are not without reward, especially since tourism is a major forex earner for Uganda.

Significant inroads
Over the past decade, UWA, supported by UCF’s unwavering financial and operational backing, has removed an astonishing 47 tonnes of snares and traps. This includes 9,000 deadly “wheel traps.” Additionally, UWA’s Vet Rescue Unit has safeguarded more than 1,000 animals, including majestic elephants, regal lions, and graceful giraffes.

“Murchison Falls National Park has emerged from a tumultuous past marked by war and the terror of the Lord’s Resistance Army,” Mr Sam Mwandha, UWA’s executive director, told Monitor.

He added that, “Through the combined efforts of the UWA and UCF, we have achieved an unparalleled recovery, positioning it as one of Africa’s most remarkable conservation success stories. The 2019 Aerial surveys confirmed our pioneering role in rejuvenating the park—a beacon of hope for wildlife conservation across the continent.”

The critically endangered Rothschild giraffes, once on the brink of extinction with a population of just 400, now proudly roam the park. The last count put their soaring numbers at an astonishing 2,000, representing 80 percent of the global tally. 

Encouragingly, elephant populations have also increased to 3,000. The lions and other wildlife have also shown significant growth.

“A guest visiting Murchison Falls last week saw 22 lions in just two days, along with hundreds of elephants, giraffes, and leopards. He described it as the best safari he had ever been on,” Mike Sanders of Paraa Lodge, beamed.

Relentlessness 
Supported by steadfast partners, the Recovery of Murchison Falls programme ensures the protection of these invaluable treasures.

In doing so, it enriches the lives of future generations while creating employment opportunities for local communities.

Charles Tumwesigye, UWA’s deputy director of field operations, emphasises the pivotal role played by the Recovery of Murchison Falls programme.

The programme has provided essential resources, including fuel to sustain operations, monthly provisions for rangers, life-saving veterinary drugs, and vital equipment. Moreover, it has offered employment opportunities to youth affected by lockdowns and environmental disasters, effectively thwarting the potential rise of poaching activities.

Although UWA’s relentless efforts to combat poaching and mitigate wildlife conflicts are commendable, sustained funding and support remain crucial.

Keigwin stresses the need to keep UWA’s teams operational to ensure the protection of wildlife, promote tourism, and minimise wildlife conflicts such as animals damaging crops. Expanding tourism to other regions of the park, with restored wildlife numbers, is also a significant goal.

However, the illegal wildlife trade, particularly the targeted poaching of hippos, continues to pose a significant threat.

The operations conducted by UWA to remove and destroy traps not only incur costs for the poaching syndicates but also increase the risks for poachers. While not a complete deterrent, these efforts help to minimise the impact. 

Mr Wilson Kagoro, the warden in charge of community conservation in Murchison, confirmed that UWA and other organisations have ongoing community programmes in place to support alternative livelihoods.

These include UCF’s Living with Wildlife programme supported by UK Matching Aid.  At present, all the snares, known as Snare Mountain, have been decommissioned and destroyed to ensure they can never be used again. 

“We have constructed two ranger accommodation blocks with the support of a wonderful donor, Global Conservation, and the snares have been compressed and buried in the foundations,” Keigwin told Sunday Monitor. 

Unfortunately, the snares cannot be recycled due to the mix of poor quality metals. The wheel traps will, however, be recycled.