Uganda is set to celebrate World Wildlife Day on March 3, 2024, which will be held in Kyenjojo district under the theme “Connecting People and Planet: Exploring Digital Innovation in Wildlife Conservation,” and President Museveni is expected as the guest of honour.
Digital innovations will offer unique opportunities to redefine the connection between people and the planet.
During the media launch of the Uganda World Wildlife Day at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala on Tuesday, February 20, 2024, the Minister of Tourism, Wildlife, and Antiquities, Tom Butime, said that Uganda is among the top world biodiversity-rich countries, adding that it’s against this background that the country will join the world in the celebrations.
“Uganda must join the rest of the world to celebrate this significant endowment because it ranks among the top biodiversity-rich countries globally,” he said.
“Uganda is host to 53.9% of the world’s remaining population of mountain gorillas, 11% of the world’s recorded species of birds (which is 50% of Africa’s bird species), 8% of the global mammal diversity (which is 39% of Africa’s mammal richness), 19% of Africa’s amphibian species richness, and 14% of Africa’s reptile species richness.” Butime added.
He said that digital innovation like the introduction of drones and documentation in conservation areas can make the tourism industry prosper. He, therefore, called on youths to embrace the tourism sector because there are a lot of opportunities.
Butime said that improved conservation has yielded promising results, with animal populations on a steady recovery. For instance, between 1983 and 2021, buffalo increased from 25,000 to 44,163, elephants rose from 2000 to 7,975, and giraffes increased from 350 to 2,072.
Similarly, the number of mountain gorillas has increased from 320 to 459 between 1999 and 2022.
He also thanked the government of Uganda for successfully reintroducing rhinos, which had gone extinct in the early 1980s. The initial population of 8 has successfully bred and multiplied to the current population of over 32 individuals.
On the issue of infrastructure development, the minister noted that after the completion of Kidepo International Airport, the number of international tourists will increase. He added that the government directed the Minister of Works and Transport to ensure that all roads connecting to the conservation centres are constructed and rehabilitated.
“The Minister of Works and Transport, Gen Katumba Wamala, was directed to work on all roads connecting to conservation centres countrywide, and he has taken on the challenge positively.” Butime said.
The Minister called on all stakeholders, partners, well-wishers, and all Ugandans to join the Ministry of Tourism and conserve nature.
On December 20, 2013, the 68th session of the UN General Assembly proclaimed March 3rd of every year a World Wildlife Day to celebrate the many beautiful and varied forms of wild fauna and flora and to raise awareness of the benefits of conservation to humanity.
