UWEC seeks Shs1.5b to feed animals, birds
Needed. The management of Uwec says lions at the facility consume 8kgs of meat daily. Each kilogramme costs Shs12,000. On average the management spends Shs96,000 on feeding the lions at the centre per day. File Photo
The management of Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Centre (Uwec), commonly known as Entebbe Zoo, has appealed to government to provide them Shs1.5b to feed animals under captivity.
This comes after President Museveni mid last month declared a nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of Covid-19.
The Uwec executive director, Mr James Musinguzi, on Thursday said they submitted their request for funding through the national Covid- 19 Taskforce.
Mr Musinguzi said due to measures put in place by government to contain the spread of coronavirus, Uwec is struggling to feed more than 253 animals, including cats, birds and reptiles as they no longer collect revenue.
He revealed that the centre has lost about Shs2 billion since January when the number of tourists coming into the country started shrinking.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has not only affected the business community and tourism sector, but conservation as well. We are optimistic that some help will be availed to us because we can no longer handle the situation,” he added.
Currently, Uwec has nine lions, two cheetahs and a leopard which feed on Meat daily.
“The lions eat 8kgs of meat daily, each kilogramme costs Shs12,000. On average, we spend Shs96,000 on lions per day. Feeding animals cost us Shs112,000 daily,” Mr Musinguzi explained.
He added that it has been difficult making adjustments in their daily operations to fit the minimal budget.
Mr Musinguzi revealed that the conservation usually collects Shs3.5b gate fees from school children and tourists every year.
Ngamba sanctuary
Meanwhile, the situation is not any different at Ngamba Chimpanzee Sanctuary, on Ngamba Island about 23km away from Uwec.
Dr Joshua Rukundo, the executive director of Ngamba Chimpanzee Sanctuary, said they will not be able to sustain their operations for the rest of the year as they entirely depend on tourists and donors.
Dr Rukundo revealed that it costs Shs16,060 to feed one chimpanzee daily, which translates to Shs481,800 a month. This includes the cost of procuring and delivering the food to the island.
“Therefore, the Trust needs Shs24m every month to feed all the 50 chimpanzees within its care which we don’t have now. We call upon the government to support us,” he appealed.
