The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has aligned with chiefdoms in Jonam county in Nebbi to fight poaching and bush meat trade in the district.
Poaching, according to UWA, is threatening wildlife in the Murchison Falls National Park. uganda safari
During the launch of the campaign against the vice in Pakwach town council last week, poachers handed over 15 spears, seven traps and 20 wire snares that they were using to kill wild animals. The traditional chiefs have vowed to curse the poachers who will continue with the vice.
Hophly Ongiertho, the Pakwach town council mayor, hailed the partnership between UWA and Jonam chiefdoms in fight bush meat trade, saying poaching and fishing were affecting the quality of education in Jonam.
The Police and UPDF said the partnership would improve security since poaching promotes illegal trade in guns.
Genesis Okello, the Bush Meat Free East African Network field director, said UWA had started a policy of revenue sharing with communities around game parks to discourage poaching and bush meat trade. gorilla safaris in uganda
He added that the practice had led to dwindling numbers of wild animals in the park.
Rwoth Charles Ottober of Amor in Pakwach town connected the high rate of poaching to the biting poverty in the area.
The chiefs recently formed an anti-bush meat consumption group in Jonam headed by Rwoth Ottober to fight poaching, trade and consumption of bush meat.
They pledged to work with UWA to fight the vice in Jonam. “We shall sensitize communities around the park on the benefits of conservation through promotion of cultural tourism, drama and story telling. Reformed poachers, who have denounced poaching and surrendered their weapons, will be engaged in alternative income-generating activities,” Okello said. gorilla safaris in rwanda
He said UWA under the revenue sharing program was supporting 15 groups of reformed poachers who were engaged in tree planting, goat rearing and beekeeping activities.
Okello revealed that according to research done by the US Fish and Wildlife Services, Murchison Falls Park was one of the key protected areas in Uganda greatly affected by poaching.
