Wildlife under threat from neighbouring communities

The human-wildlife co-exis- tence requires a delicate bal- ance particularly where survival and safety of people and animals are concerned. The weekend of June 3 closed in with some spurts. Workers on music and events promoter Balaam Barugahara's farm killed a python in fear of the threat it posed to the domestic animals.

A photograph of the workers holding out the dead python attracted some unkind reactions; part of it criticism from a wildlife enthusiast who could not comprehend the killing of wildlife. The debate rages on. On one hand, there is every reason to protect wildlife as the top tourist attraction and on the other, is the need and cry for survival by communities close to the protected areas such as national parks and reserves.

Animal deaths on the rise On April 11, Uganda woke up to the news of the killing of an entire group of lions in Hamukungu in Queen Elizabeth National Park, in Western Uganda.

Eleven lions, three mothers and eight young ones, had been poisoned, bringing the number to 20 lost in a space of two years. In 2010, six lions were killed at the same spot, in Hamukungu. In April this year, residents of Hamukungu fishing village asked for compensation from Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), the body that regulates wildlife conservation in Uganda, for cattle and goats lost to park lions in a fortnight. The village is close to the park.

According to Dr Andrew Seguya, conservation needs to be appreciated by communities that live close to national parks and game reserves. "Unfortunately, most of the communities close to the parks are made of poor people, many of whom still need to be sensitised and educated on the relevance of wildlife," Dr Seguya explains.

Community initiatives

Notably, many of the communities close to parks are into agriculture and benefit from parks by selling produce to facilities that host tourists. Many times though, this comes as a trade-off. On a 2016 field visit, Geroge Keny, who lives near Murchison Falls National Park shared his strategy where he grows maize on three acres, cassava on five and chilli on half an acre.

He does not sell the chilli and whereas he anticipates a bumper harvest for maize and cassava, he worries about how to protect the crops from wildlife.

He rubs the chilli onto fences of his gardens in order to keep elephants and other wild animals away since the smell of chilli puts them off. He also mixes the chilli into the soil mix he uses to make bricks.

"As I use the chilli to protect my gardens, I am pained at the loss of it. A kilogramme of chilli is at Shs7, 500," he says. UWA and Africa Wildlife Foundation (Awf) are partners in supporting communities around Murchison Falls Park to grow red chilli as a non- wildlife tourism enterprise through provision of seeds and farming extension services. Communities have taken the initiative to dig trenches that help keep animals off their gardens since they are wide and deep.

Need for education

James Musinguzi, the Executive Director of Uganda Wildlife Education Centre says that there is need to empower communities to derive benefits from the wildlife by promoting wildlife-based enterprises and sustainable wildlife utilisation. "People must value the wildlife. This comes from earning from them. We need to promote private snake parks, lion parks, etc. Education must also continue for people to understand these dynamics. Also people need to know what to do once beaten by a snake so education must continue," Musinguzi.

He adds that the more wildlife is kept away from people, the more they will continue looking at it as a mystery. "That is the reason why Uwec has strengthened the outreach conservation education program. We take wildlife including snakes to all regions of Uganda to educate communities about Wildlife. It must start with appreciating the wildlife with a mindset change. People's instinct is to kill, especially snakes. This originates from the Bible in the story of creation."

Drive to inform

Uwec has been in Rukungiri since the beginning of the month. They have been to Lira. Next month, the conservation entity will be in Masaka, still on an education sojourn.

"We take audio visuals, shown on big television screens to show wildlife-based videos. We also take animals such as lions, leopards, pythons, birds such as ostriches, parrots, crested crane and show them to people as we educate them about the ecology of these animals, how they help in the functioning of the ecosystem, their role in promoting Uganda's tourism and conservation. We also answer many of their questions in addition to giving out printed education materials," Uwec's Executive Director further explains.

Lilly Ajarova, Executive Director of Ngamba Chimpanzee Sanctuary says that there is need to review laws and policies, for example the Wildlife Act and National Environment Management Act by commitment to international wildlife treaties as well as strategic plans and general management plans for protected areas.

She underlines efforts by Uwec directed at helping the public appreciate the value of natural resources, adding that more can be done to educate the masses.

Case for community involvement "Human wildlife conflict is still on the increase along with wildlife trade. New strategies on educating the public to improve appreciation of the value of wildlife are needed. There should also be community involvement in conservation through clear strategies of managing wildlife outside protected areas. There is need to make a case for more resources to manage wildlife," Ajarova advises.

Ajarova believes that the revenue sharing structure, using the local government system does not benefit the immediate communities sacrificing the most for wildlife. Musinguzi implores the public to have a positive attitude towards wildlife, knowing that it plays a very big role in the ecosystem and therefore the need to coexist. In context of the recent killing of the python, Uwec's director says he is planning to talk to Barugahara for partnership since he is good at promotions and events. "We can work together on this National Wildlife Conservation Education Programme. We shall talk and educate him for behavioural and attitude change. It is a general problem," he adds.

Snakes play a very big role in the ecosystem such as control of rat populations. They are also used to produce anti venom that treats snakebites. We need them for proper functioning of the ecosystem using a one-plan approach. Uganda's tourism sector is largely wildlife-based and we must not kill it."

Musinguzi adds that snakes are a big tourism attraction and are good conservation education tools. "They are also used for research as we seek solutions to ecological and medicine challenges. Whenever you are in conflict with wildlife, please call the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre for rescue of the animal."

[email protected]