Uganda Wildlife Authority

Uganda Wildlife Authority

Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) is a statutory/a government body that was established in 1996 to protect and conserve wildlife in Uganda. The body is affiliated to the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities together with other institutions to promote and sustain tourism through protecting and conserving Uganda’s wildlife. It is a government body that was entrusted with all the wildlife in the county.

The main role of Uganda Wildlife Authority is to manage and conserve wildlife in and outside Uganda’s protected areas. It manages ten (10) National Parks, twelve (12) Wildlife Reserves, and thirteen (13) Wildlife Sanctuaries and offers guidance to five (5) Community Wildlife Management Areas. The ten National Parks of Uganda include Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Mgahinga Gorilla, Kibale Forest, Lake Mburo, Rwenzori Mountains, Semuliki, Kidepo Valley and Mt. Elgon National Parks. The effort of Uganda wildlife authority has played a big role in today’s success of Uganda safaris. The highlight for most visits to Uganda is the wildlife that is exists today in plenty because of protection from Uganda Wildlife authority.

Uganda Wildlife Authority in promoting Uganda Tourism

 Uganda Wildlife Authority monitors and supervises the activities of each National Park. It recruits, trains the park rangers and employs experienced people and supervises them to ensure that all the activities of the National Park run smoothly. There are different departments in Uganda Wildlife Authority responsible for specific roles and all this leads to provision of the best services for Tour Operators and tourists.

Uganda wildlife authority sets and regulates prices for the activities in all National Parks. A big percentage of this income goes back for conservation to sustain the wildlife and promote Uganda Tourism. For example, a Gorilla trekking permit is quite higher in cost compared to other permits because gorillas are endangered and require higher levels of research and protection. The fee for lion tracking as well helps in research of these carnivores.

Uganda Wildlife Authority promotes public participation in conservation of wildlife. This helps in jointly protecting the animals in the National Parks, encourage the locals from destroying vegetation and teach them how important the wildlife is to them and to the future generation. The Authority promotes public participation in conservation through Community Conservation Programs which have improved conservation and also eradicates poverty.

UWA diversifies activities at different destinations so that tourists get more things to do on their visit. For example introduction of Lion tracking in Queen Elizabeth National Park, the Batwa Trail Experience in Bwindi Forest, hiking to the top of the falls in Murchison Falls National Park and accepting the establishment of Hot air balloon in Murchison National Park. With all these additional activities besides wildlife, tourists enjoy the best of their African adventure safaris when they visit Uganda the Pearl of Africa.

UWA is also responsible for marketing the wildlife destinations in Uganda. The Authority is indeed marketing Uganda’s National Parks, Wildlife Reserves and Sanctuaries through on-line marketing including the website and social media, brochures and flyers among others.

UWA is highly protecting the endangered, endemic and rare species of wildlife in Uganda so that they will remain there to attract several tourists. This has been done through providing wildlife policies, encouraging and supporting research about them and promoting the best management practices. However, all animals are protected with strict policies and laws.

In collaboration with RhinoFund Uganda, UWA restored rhinos in Uganda after many years of extinction and you can track them in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. You can do it as an independent activity or include it on your to Murchison Falls National Park safari.