Uganda Wildlife Authority Translocates 15 Giraffes to Pian Upe
The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has translocated 15 giraffes from Murchison Falls National Park to Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve found in the Karamoja Sub Region in North Eastern Uganda. Bashir Hangi, UWA’s Communication Manager said this practice is among the the strategies for ensuring wide ranging distribution of the animals across parks and game reserves for conservation purposes. He said it method of translocation also ensures the survival of the endangered animal species.
“We have started on the translocation exercise for 15 giraffes to Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve from Murchison Falls National Park. It is one of our strategies to ensure that we have a fair distribution of this wildlife,” Bashir said.
He said this will increase a variety of wildlife in Pian Upe since the reserve is looked at with high prospects of tourism potential. The translocation of the giraffes in among the latest tourism news in Uganda and we shall update you as other developments come up.
The Chronology of Animal Transfers by UWA
Uganda wildlife authority has in the past translocated the giraffes to other parks. For instance, in August 2017, UWA successfully translocated 19 giraffes (13 females, 6 males) from the northern segment of Murchison Falls National Park to its Southern Banks of the park. The two female giraffes were transferred to the Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Center (UWEC) in Entebbe for education and conservation aims.
In August 2018, the wildlife body working with the Giraffe Conservation Foundation moved 15 giraffes to Kidepo Valley National Park in the far north eastern side of Uganda.
While in June 2019, 15 giraffes were transferred from Murchison Falls National Park in northern Uganda to Lake Mburo National Park, one of the tourist attractions in western Uganda.
The Rothschild’s Giraffes are approximated not be over 1600 in the world. About 700 are believed to in captivity around the world and roughly 800 are in the wild with the largest population believed to be in Uganda.