Queen Elizabeth National Park wins birding race 2012

One of the BBD teams in Queen Elizabeth N.P

The annual Big Birding Day (BBD) is a fun, yet competitive day for bird-watchers, beginners, proffessionals and competitive twitchers, to positively identify as many different bird species as possible in a single 24-hour period. BBD aims at promoting birding as an important tourism product for Uganda. This event also aims at promoting domestic tourism, by involving Ugandans in such an exciting exercise. Big Birding Day is also all about the fun of bird-watching and there are no hard and fast rules. The Uganda BBD 2012 took place on 19th, 20th and 27th October 2012 under the theme was “Connecting Birds to people and Nature” and sub theme: “Birding @ 50 years: Saving the Crane, our National symbol”

All About Big Birding Day 2012

The BBD Launch: This took place on 19th October at Uganda Museum. The speakers included Achilles Byaruhanga (ED NatureUganda), Moses Mapesa (Former ED Uganda Wildlife Authority), Paul Mafabi (Commissioner for Wetlands of the Ministry for Natural Resources), James Lutalo (Commissioner for Wildlife Conservation) and Dr Andrew Seguya (ED Uganda Wildlife Authority). The guest speaker Mr. Moses Mapesa assisted by Dr. Chris Bakuneta of Makerere University gave a presentation about "the role of birds as biodiversity indicators, a conservation tool and eco-tourism product". Click to download the presentation (PDF).

In a speech read by Mr James Lutalo, Ms Maria Mutagamba the Hon Minister of Tourism & Wildlife Antiquetties, said that “In order to get more returns from the sector, we need to appreciate bird watching and recognize the comparative advantage it has over other sectors in the tourism industry.” Mr Lutalo launched the Big Birding Day 2012.(In photo on the left)

Vision’s Group photojournalist Mathias Mugisha was also recognized for his patriotic role as a nature photographer. He exhibited a number of bird photographs. Participants registered for the areas that they wanted to visit and carry out the birding exercise.

The Big Birding day: This was on 20th October. Birding took place in 47 birding sites across the country including 12 sites in Kampala area. The sites included national parks, wildlife reserves, forest reserves, Ramsar sites, Important Bird Areas (IBAs), Kampala city neighborhoods, private homes and compounds. Over 300 birders in 58 teams were involved in the 2012 birding exercise.

The Big Birding Festival: This took place on 20th October at Botanical gardens in Entebbe where the birding results of the 20th Oct exercise were announced. The festival kicked off with a nature walk in the morning followed by merry making and entertainment celebrating the achievement.

In her speech, the Guest of honor, the Ambassador of France to Uganda Mrs Aline Kuster-Ménager noted that “Uganda is indeed gifted by nature and it is everybody’s responsibility to preserve the natural environment of this country”. She added that “the government of France and other intuitions have been supporting conservation in Africa and Uganda in particular. I am aware that the French Zoo has provided a small grant to support to NatureUganda to conserve the Crested Crane, Uganda’s national symbol. Much information has been gathered that has led to the drafting of the national species action plan for the crane. This is an effort to stop species from extinction.”

The target for 2012 was 700 species (66%). The teams covered 35 general areas and recorded 657 species. This accounts for 63% of the total species of Uganda recorded and an increase of 82 species from the 2011 record. We recorded 386 in 2009, 622 in 2010, 569 in 2011 and 657 in 2012.

The BBD 2012 results (click here for details)

Queen Elizabeth National Park recorded the highest number of species with 246 (40% of the total species of the park) the highest for any site since the BBD started. It was followed by Murchison Falls National park with 205species (44% of total species for the park) and then Mabamba bay (Ramsar site) with 187 species (65% of total known for the site). This was followed by Lake Mburo National Park with 173 (55% of total for the park), Bwindi Impenetrable National Park with 170, Kibale Forest National Park with 142 and then Kidepo Valley National Park with 138 species. (Left:The ED UWA, Mr Stephen Masaba receiving an award from Mrs Aline Kuster-Ménager on behalf of QENP)

Finally the tallies for birds that can be recorded in one day in Uganda continue to increase as well as participants and sites covered. We look forward to more participation and believe that as people continue to enjoy bird watching, so will their attitudes change towards nature conservation. This will not only help to tame rampant environment degradation and species declines but will also ensure that Uganda continues to benefit from sustainable utilization of its resources.

The organizing Committee

The organization of the BBD events is done by a National committee made of NatureUganda partners that come together to plan and fundraise for the BBD events. Over the years, these have increased in number to the list below.

Uganda Tourism Board (UTB)

Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA and respective national parks and wildlife Reserves

National Forest Authority (NFA) and all forest reserves where eco-tourism is established

Uganda Tourism Association (UTA)

Sustainable Tourism in the Albertine Rift project (USAID-STAR)

Association of Uganda Tour Operators (AUTO)

Uganda Hotels and Hotel Owners Association (UHOA)

Uganda Community Tourism Association (UCOTA)

Honorary Wardens

Uganda Bird Guides Association (UBGC)

Makerere University Tourism Department and student Associations

GeoLodges Uganda

Pearls of Uganda Safaris

Diary of a muzungu

Guide2Uganda

Venture Uganda

Other tour operators, etc

ENVIRONMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

In this age of rapidly increasing  technology and automation, the impression is that we have  greatly advanced and are now in a far better position than the primitive civilization of the past.                     

But we pose the question!

• Is the environment advancing at the same rate with development?
• Do we realize that every action taken causes a reaction yet to occur in the future?
• It is ironical that most of the environmental damage which is now a great concern to many people but only skin- deep is a by –product of manufacturing consumer goods? 

Economic development is at a cost of the environment  because the raw materials required come from some where within the environment. In addition to that, there is the presence of polluting factories  at the end of their useful lives.

Therefore,  does development mean destruction? Is it necessary that when something is developed, something else is destroyed. come to think of it, I think it is possible to live a comfortable  simple life  in harmony with nature.The reactivation and acceleration of development , requires both a dynamic and supportive economic environment.

Marble Atuhairwe,

Intern NatureUganda

An adventure at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

Such a great weekend out for NatureUganda members on 22-23^rd June 2012! The Rhino trackers headed to the Ziwa Rhino Ranch. The weather was great, the scenery fantastic and the rhino experience exhalating.

Along the Gulu highway, you are confronted with two ‘Rhinos’, a sign that you have reached the Ziwa ranch. Turn to the left, drive 3 km to the first gate and another 4km to the second gate and reception.  A lot to see along this stretch including duikers, bushbucks, waterbucks, and welcome noise from the Pipiacs, the Sudan-guinea species that have recently extended their range to Kampala.

In the reception compound, animals such as bushbucks and Impala both hid their tails between their legs. “You mean these animals have no tails” one member shouted.  As we got nearer the animals did not move as expected of wild animals. Well not as wild as we thought but after all this is a ranch not a park.  Those with snake-phobia must not meander in the compound where brown and green snakes are part of the fauna. You are restricted to walking on the concrete paths.

The administration was there to receive the team and introduced us to the guide. The evening fell and a few of us ended up in the nearest watering hole ‘I mean the bar’.  After a long drive to Nakasongola for nearly 4 hours, food was extremely delicious. The night was cool, the solar light was dim and the crickets ruled the night. As advised, we hit the bushes at 6.30am the next morning. First our driver requested for additional pay for game drive. Luckily one of the participants had moved with a jeep! This was even a better choice for the Rhino tracking than the covered vehicle. The drive was by an expert who would rival ‘Charlie’ (those of you who are fans of motor racing). Potholes and water ditches reminded me of my school track in secondary school.  It was good we had not taken breakfast.

At 7.00am we reach the Lugogo swamp, and a Pigmy Kingfisher was a good sight and calls of the Black-headed Gonoleks. One and half hours we get to the open water and we take a canoe.  Along the ride you experience a diversity of water and terrestrial bird species. To the end of the water, we experience our first climate change adaptation experience.  The cattle keepers cooling their milk by dipping milk container in the swamp.  We missed the shoebill, but a reason to visit again.

Obama and a colleague taking a nap

Back to reception and we had a sumptuous breakfast. Then a short drive into the ranch, we had a briefing by the ranger. One of the tricks was that when the rhino charges, just hide behind the nearest bush.  The Rhino has ‘no common sense’ to check behind the bush. I am not sure that I believed him but I had to wait to put this tactic into use. I never did. We walked in line following the ranger (like police moving to stop a W2W demo). The first three rhinos were resting under a tree. What an exciting ‘ugly-beautiful’ animal, two adults and one adolescent (so the ranger says!) called Obama who was ‘celebrating’ his third birthday. This was the climax and for 30 minutes, cameras run out batteries and memory space!

Admiring the scenery & Birds

No one realized that we had got hungry until we reached a mango tree on our way back. Thank God, the ranger was a good climber and everyone enjoyed the juicy fruits. We could not have lunch but was instead packed for us to eat as we drove back to Kampala. A short visit but highly satisfying.

The next adventure is an overnight to Ssezibwa Falls near Mabira Forest Reserve on 15^th - 16^th September 2012. Don’t miss!

Pausing for a photo in the Jeep

The writer is a member of NatureUganda.

Research Symposium in QENP

NatureUganda took part in the research symposium organized by UWA in Queen Elizabeth Protected Area (QEPA), Kasese district, from 17th to 20th June 2012. The symposium aim of the was to find solutions to the challenges QEPA management is facing in protecting this conservation and tourism hot spot. More....

Cattle degrading Queen Elizabeth National Park

For quite along period of time natural resources have been degraded by various individuals, organizations and companies and this has caused diverse effects to the environment. Consumption of plant cover by livestock has a major impact and overgrazing is believed to contribute substantially to desertification and land degradation. On the other hand, plant removal reduces protective plant cover, vigor and re-growth capacity of plants which leads to soil compaction and when excessive may cause run-off and gully erosion since the soils will be left bear. Grazing implies removal of nutrients such as sodium, potassium and nitrogen from the plant cover.

Taking the case of Queen Elizabeth National park as a natural resource has faced serious degradation through extensive livestock grazing on the park by Kasese district. The leaders of this community raised the concerns during a stakeholders’ workshop to draft a five-year management plan for Lake Munyanyange. The workshop took place in Katwe town and was organized by NatureUganda where issues concerning degradation of natural resources where identified, for example, depletion of salt in lake Katwe and recommendations were advocated for. 

References: New Vision May 1st 2012.

By Maureen N

Intern, NatureUganda. 

World Migratory Birds Day -12th May 2012

On Saturday, 12th May 2012, the World commemorated World Migratory Birds Day (WMBD) under the theme Migratory birds and people - together through time. World Migratory Bird Day strives towards preserving the cultural ties we have with migratory birds and the vital economic and environmental benefits they sustain. It is important to ensure these cultural, economic and environmental bonds are conserved for future generations. Read more... 

NatureUganda: Investments in Protected Areas

NatureUganda: Investments in Protected Areas: There's a proposal to change part of Murchision falls into a golf course. First it was Mabira , now it is Murchision falls, next..............

Conservation Conference 2012

This year's Conservation Conference (CC) will take place from 24th - 25th May 2012, under the theme "Biodiversity Conservation and Management in Uganda" at the Uganda Museum! The CC provides an opportunity for Ugandan scientists to showcase their findings. Don't miss!Conservation Conference 2012