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Passion for primates earned her nickname Mama Chimpanzee
Dr Caroline Asiimwe shows off her plaques for her outstanding contribution to wildlife conservation and research. Photo | Promise Twinamukye.
What you need to know:
Zealous about wildlife. In primary school, Caroline Asiimwe used to pass by the zoo but did not like the sight of animals in the cages. She felt they were restrained but also developed interest in what it took to look after wildlife. She is a veterinarian and researcher who has awards for outstanding contribution to the field, writes Promise Twinamukye.
“Living in the jungle gave me a lot of peace. Surrounding myself with wildlife with minimal human interference made me feel like I was part of the jungle and made my passion grow over the years.
The way I lived in the jungle is the way I would love to live in my home. It made me feel healthy, and if I went back to my younger days, I would do the same thing again. It is a decision I have never regretted.”
Dr Caroline Asiimwe is one of the few women running the jungle and making strides to harmonise the coexistence between wild and human life.
Asiimwe’s journey of wildlife conservation started before she could even tell. She used to pass by the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (the zoo) on her way to St Thereza Primary School, Entebbe and she felt that animals in cages were being mistreated.
“I remember someone throwing a cigarette they were smoking to a chimpanzee and it held it, and smoked the rest of it. People would throw food and stones at these primates. I did not know the impact it had on them, especially disease but it made me compassionate for the animals in those cages. They had nowhere to go, so they would take everything thrown at them,” she says.
Here, the young girl envisioned herself doing something about saving such animals, or even people. But life kept throwing her to animals, even when she went to Katurika Secondary School, Burama and later Immaculate Heart Girl’s School Nyakibale, Rukungiri when her fate of studying Veterinary Medicine was sealed. She joined Makerere University for that.
“In the beginning, I did not even see the link between what I wanted and what I was studying. The course units were so vast and it was not until our third year that I started learning courses that were related to wildlife,” the veterinarian recalls.
In Year Five, while doing rotations in Veterinary Medicine, she asked to join a team of Canadians to do an all-around tour in national parks, darting and caring for wild animals instead of domestic ones.
“During my holidays, I requested Dr Siefert Ludwig of the lions’ project in Queen Elizabeth National Park to join the team and there, I got more exposure to wildlife,” she shares.
She went at a time when locals were poisoning lions and most of the scavengers, the vultures and hyenas ended up falling victim as well, even when their target were lions because of the human-wildlife conflict.
Projects
For her first project, Asiimwe did research on antimicrobial resistance in rivers of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park where she found that bacteria of the intestines harboured by humans could be transferred to animals (both domesticated and wild), especially through water. This was found to be related mainly to poor sanitation.
It was not long before Asiimwe failed to find wildlife-related jobs. So, she worked as a veterinary doctor at Animal Care Centre, Entebbe where she treated mostly pets.
“In 2010, I met Dr Peter Apell who was working at Jane Goodall Institute, which mainly works on chimpanzees. Dr Apell, who had brought his cats for treatment engaged me in a conversation during which he revealed he was more into wildlife. It is then, that I told him about my passion in the same,” she says.
Asiimwe got an opportunity for an internship at the institute where she darted chimpanzees and baboons and saved wildlife. When the Budongo Wildlife Conservation Field Station (BCFS) needed a veterinarian, she was highly recommended. She worked as a resident veterinarian and conservation coordinator with communities to promote coexistence with wildlife for 10 years.
They monitored chimps across the Albertine region and places where they are habituated for research or tourism.
“We wanted to understand the disease trend and other challenges they face in Uganda and how we can work together to mitigate these problems,” Asiimwe says.
The doctor also recruited interns, some of whom she took on after internship.
Lessons
Over time, she learnt that for one to progress in conservation, they have to prioritise the community. If they know the health risk of eating wild animals, they will change their behaviour toward the whole involvement with the animals which creates co-existence and in a way animals are also helped in the process.
This included teaching them how to behave when they come into contact with the animals,
“We developed some educational materials on how to behave around wild animals, the dos and don’ts to try and create coexistence between humans and wildlife, while at BCFS,” she explains.
First experience
“I was a lead veterinarian at BCFS. A chimpanzee got caught in a bear trap and I had to lead the team of interns and field assistants. I had to make sure no one was harmed in the process of trying to save the chimp,” she says.
Little did she know how big of a task it was until she was faced with reality. Everyone looked up to her and waited for instructions. She successfully removed the trap, and as they looked at the animal waking up she realised that was it. There was no turning back.
“I specialised in wildlife because it was more challenging and kept my mind active. Even then, there were very few wildlife veterinarians and I wanted more of a virgin niche for my career. I wanted to be one of the few there and more than anything, I wanted to save the lives and livelihood of these animals.”
Challenges
“We are living in a patriarchal community that still thinks a man has to be at the top in hierarchy and should have the last word on everything. It may not go well for a woman who is more knowledgeable and empowered,” says the graduate of Veterinary Science in Conservation Medicine.
Due to responsibilities attributed to women as gender roles, it becomes, especially hard. Asiimwe found herself giving more time to the animals than her family.
Asiimwe reveals this is the first time she has stayed home for more than three months looking after her family.
“My first child went to boarding school for most of her primary school and while on holiday, I would take her with me to the field unless it was time to take care of specific wild animals,” she says. She adds that having a supportive partner is a plus.
“My partner lets me make decisions for my career, but not all women get that privilege. Others are even told to quit altogether,” she explains.
Most communities cannot believe a woman can do greater things. Asiimwe was still called a nurse even when she rightfully deserved her title as a doctor, they called the younger men doctors, even when they were interns.
“I recall when Prof Vernon Reynolds was giving me an appreciation award at Budongo, he said ‘what a man can do well, Carol can do better’. That motivated me knowing that not all men believe in patriarchy,” she says.
Asiimwe believes empowering her team helped her in taking time off, especially when family and studies collided with her work. They always stepped in for her.
“I am now seeking a job that would give me more time with my family, probably a few days in the field. It will be difficult to be away all the time with two babies at home,” she says.
Achievements
“Over the years, I have learnt that you cannot achieve conservation alone. I have built a cadre team out there always to come in and help with any problem at hand.”
“I have grown through ranks and I am at a level where I can comfortably say I can manage a team into a strategic plan to make the world a better place,” she says.
“I have evolved as a mother and grown my social capital, and personal development that I do not take for granted.”
Advice
“If you are passionate about conservation, the family may put you under pressure but there is time for everything. You can do the jungle life and later figure out a job that is more flexible for you.”
The moment a child misses school (which could be due to lack of water or menstrual period), it is a huge loss in conservation. When they drop out, they are sustaining a poverty cycle. Having a poor society increases dependency on natural resources, which is assumed free to them,” says the veterinarian.
She says the greatest contributors to the degradation are those who are financially well-off.
“If we worked more with local communities who are employed to harvest these resources, we could reduce the dwindling biodiversity,” she explains.
In her opinion continuing the struggle and giving our contribution where we can, “one day we shall reach a level where the species are increasing in number and habitats are being restored and where there is harmonious living between humans and wildlife,” Asiimwe says.
Titbits
• 2011-2021: Worked at Budongo Wildlife Conservation Field Station (BCFS)
•2012-2017: Pursued Master’s in Public Health to understand the human aspect on species in the wild at Makerere University
•2013-2018: Master’s in Veterinary Science in Conservation Medicine at Edinburgh University.
• 2017: Won the TWAS Samira Omar prize for innovation for sustainability from the World Academy of Science.
• 2022: Joined Jane Goodall Institute for a one-year contract managing One Health Programme education and research.
• 2023: Recognised for outstanding contribution to conservation in Uganda specifically human-world life coexistence (harmonious living) by the Ministry of Tourism.
