UWEC seeks Shs200 million to expand big cats’ enclosure
A lion in a cage at Uganda Wildlife Education Centre, Entebbe. PHOTO BY PAUL TAJUBA
What you need to know:
Race. The agency has organised a run to fundraise for the cause.
Kampala. The Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (Uwec) is seeking Shs200m before end of year to construct a spacious big cat’s centre (lions and lionesses) at the agency’s premises in Entebbe.
Uwec executive director James Musinguzi said the current space is too small to breed and accommodate a range of big cats yet the agency is mandated to conserve and use the centre for education and tourism purposes.
Fighting extinction
“In order to reverse the tide to the big cats’ extinction in Uganda, Uwec has embarked on breeding the species for possible re-introduction in future as well as using them to educate Ugandans about the need for peaceful existence and the benefits of tourism,” Musinguzi said.
Adding, “We need your support to raise Shs200m in order to provide a secure, spacious home for big cats… and provide an opportunity to over 300,000 Ugandans who cannot afford to visit parks.”
Mr Musingunzi said there are only 408 lions in Kidepo Valley National Park left despite an increase from 58 to 132 in the last decade. It is estimated that there are only 32,000 lions left in Africa.
He said poisoning by livestock and game keepers, loss of habitat and prey were the major reasons for the declining lion population, thus a need to conserve the remaining animals which bring in many tourists.
“Surveys of tourists have shown that they would be 50 per cent less likely to visit the parks in Uganda if they could not see lions and if they did visit, they would want to pay less for the experience,” Mr Musinguzi said on Tuesday, in Entebbe.
Race to save the big cats
To raise the money, Uwec has partnered with Events 256, media houses, corporate individuals for a Colour Run event scheduled for December 6. The 5km race will start at Mayors Garden in Entebbe and end at Uwec beach, where the contributions are expected to be made.
Tourism stats
Uganda’s tourism sector contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the financial year 2014/15 increased to Shs6.3b up from Shs5.6b the previous year.
The growth translates into 9.9 per cent contribution to GDP (Shs96.7 trillion), up from 7.9 per cent in 2013/14.
The new figure is as a result of an increase of visitors (1,266, 046) who came to Uganda in 2014 up from 1,206,334 in the previous year. The sector contributed 592,500 jobs up from 551,100 in 2013.
