The giraffe population at Lake Mburo National Park has seen a significant rise, growing from fewer than 50 individuals to over 100 in recent years. This remarkable increase has brought satisfaction among game rangers and is expected to boost tourism in the region.
The population boom can be traced back to 2015 when the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) translocated 15 Rothschild giraffes (four males and 11 females) from Murchison Falls National Park to Lake Mburo. The move was aimed at enhancing their breeding capacity, and over the past eight years, their numbers have surged to 65, ultimately contributing to the current total of over 100. UWA attributes this success to the park’s favorable habitat and effective conservation strategies that have protected the giraffes from poaching and disease.
Allen Kenzarwa, a ranger guide at Lake Mburo, stated that the park has provided an ideal environment for the giraffes, with fewer predators threatening them. However, challenges persist, including poaching, a shortage of rangers, and encroachment by local cattle keepers. These issues are exacerbated during dry seasons when water scarcity stresses the park’s wildlife. While efforts have been made to construct water dams, Kenzarwa emphasized the need for further initiatives to ensure a sustainable water supply.
Historically, Lake Mburo National Park has played a crucial role in Uganda’s wildlife conservation. Initially gazetted as a controlled hunting area in 1933, it was designated a game reserve in 1963 and later upgraded to a national park in 1983. Traditionally, the Banyankore people, particularly the Bahima, hunted wild animals, fished in Lake Mburo, and grazed their cattle in the area. This led to the extinction of several species. Although portions of the park have been allocated to local communities, interactions between wildlife and livestock still occur.
Despite the conservation successes, poaching remains a pressing issue. UWA relies on community informants to report illegal activities, but the lack of sufficient ranger camps and patrols leaves wildlife vulnerable. Kenzarwa stressed the importance of increasing manpower, suggesting that each patrol should have at least four to six officers and that more ranger camps should be established throughout the park.
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Lake Mburo National Park, covering 370 square kilometers in Kiruhura District, is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including over 4,000 zebras and 2,000 impalas—the only impala population in Uganda. The park also hosts hippopotamuses, warthogs, elands, buffaloes, and more than 350 bird species, as well as predators like leopards, hyenas, crocodiles, and genets. Despite its rich biodiversity, the park lacks sufficient tourist accommodations. Most visitors stay outside the park due to the limited number of lodges, with only about ten available, few of which are within the park itself. Kenzarwa highlighted the need for expanded lodging facilities to enhance the park’s appeal to tourists.
Efforts to manage invasive plant species have contributed to the park’s overall increase in wildlife numbers, but conservationists argue that further initiatives are required to safeguard its unique environment. Bashir Hangi, UWA’s head of communication and public relations, noted that the growing giraffe population is a testament to the success of conservation efforts in the park. He emphasized that strengthening monitoring systems and improving infrastructure will be crucial in sustaining Lake Mburo National Park as a beacon of wildlife conservation in Uganda.
