Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA)

0 Open Jobs
svgIcon
Unknown Employees
svgIcon
Unknown Revenue
svgIcon
$200 and More Avg. Salary

About Company

  • Uganda Wildlife Authority is a semi‑autonomous government agency established in August 1996, formalized under the Uganda Wildlife Statute (later the Uganda Wildlife Act 2000, amended 2019), merging the Uganda National Parks and Game & Fisheries departments.

  • Overseen by the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, its mandate is to conserve, manage, and regulate wildlife resources both inside protected areas and in surrounding communities.

📍 Headquarters & Leadership

  • Located at Plot 7, Kira Road, Kamwookya, Kampala (between Uganda Museum and the British High Commission).

  • Governed by a nine‑member board of trustees, appointed by the Minister of Tourism. The board’s term is three years; the current Executive Director is Sam Mwandha (since March 2018).

🌳 Scope & Management

  • Manages 10 National Parks, 12 Wildlife Reserves, 13–14 Wildlife Sanctuaries, and 5 Community Wildlife Areas.

  • Notable parks under its management:

    • Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls, Bwindi Impenetrable, Mgahinga Gorilla, Kibale, Lake Mburo, Rwenzori Mountains, Semuliki, Kidepo Valley, and Mount Elgon.

🎯 Vision & Mission

  • Vision: To be a self‑sustaining wildlife conservation agency that makes Uganda an outstanding ecotourism destination.

  • Mission: Conserve, economically develop, and sustainably manage wildlife and protected areas in partnership with neighboring communities and stakeholders, benefiting both Ugandans and the global community.

🔧 Core Roles & Activities

  1. Wildlife and Protected Area Management

    • Policing against poaching, illegal logging, and encroachment. Daily patrols by rangers help protect biodiversity.

  2. Tourism Regulation & Promotion

    • Issuing permits (e.g., gorilla and chimp trekking), setting park fees, licensing tour operators, and promoting park activities/events.

  3. Community Engagement

    • Scholarships, jobs (guides, rangers), revenue sharing (e.g., 30% of park fees), community education on conservation .

  4. Infrastructure & Logistics

    • Building ranger stations, managing lodging within parks, patrol routes, and responding promptly to wildlife incidents .

  5. Research & Conservation Innovation

    • Scientific monitoring, adoption of AI-enabled tools (e.g., vulture tracking to detect poaching), captive breeding & re‑introduction (e.g., rhinos at Ziwa).

  6. Policy Enforcement & Legislation

    • Enforcing the Wildlife Act, handling human–wildlife conflict, and imposing penalties on illegal activities .

💡 Noteworthy Initiatives

  • AI-driven vulture tracking in Murchison Falls NP helps detect poaching via behavioral alerts.

  • Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary partnership: UWA supports rhino re‑introduction, now home to ~41 rhinos.

  • Lion and carnivore monitoring at Queen Elizabeth NP through Uganda Carnivore Program.

🌐 Why It Matters

UWA’s work ensures:

  • Biodiversity preservation across diverse ecosystems (savannahs, forests, mountains).

  • Economic impact through wildlife tourism.

  • Community upliftment via jobs, revenue sharing, and education.

  • Global conservation leadership with innovative, scalable technologies.

🔗 Learn More & Get Involved

  • Official website: ugandawildlife.org

  • Social media: Active on Facebook (over 71K likes) and X/Twitter.

  • For permits & visits: Obtain trekking permits, park passes, and book guided safaris directly via UWA.