Uganda Wildlife Authority--UWA is struggling to raise funds for the reintroduction of extinct species of wild animals in the country.
During the violent years between 1971 when General Idi Amin Dada came to power and 1986 when then rebel leader Yoweri Museveni took over power, Uganda lost some of the most valuable species of wild animals the country had ever had. Among the species that disappeared include Oryx, Black Rhinos, Northern White Rhinos, Eastern Black Rhinos and Derby’s Eland. Others are Bright’s Gazelle, Common Eland, Topi and several bird species.
For several years, government has put in deliberate efforts to reintroduce some of the extinct species, while many others that were not in the country are being introduced. So far the government has introduced the southern White Rhino.
UWA however says attempts to reintroduce both Eastern Black and Northern White Rhinos are being hampered by scarcity of the species and lack of funds to either purchase or transport them. Aggrey Rwetsiba, the Senior Monitoring and Research Coordinator at UWA, says they have put everything in place to reintroduce the extinct species. He says they have even written proposals for funding the project. He however, says no funds have been received to implement the activities yet.
Rwetsiba is hopeful that with sufficient funds, UWA will be able to reintroduce the lost species.
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Rwetsiba however says UWA is already developing Rhino conservation strategy to conserve and protect the species that will be brought. He says under the strategy, communities that live near the areas where the Rhinos will be introduced will be educated and sensitized on the importance of these species. Though he never revealed the sum of the amount UWA is looking for to kick-start the project, he says it is a lot of money needed.
Franklin Ezaruku Draku
Freelancer