Bugoma Forest

Tragedy in conservation arose after the death of two chimpanzees in Bugoma Forest. The chimps were found killed in gardens of communities around Bugoma forest.

KAMPALA, UGANDA, October 7, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Tragedy in conservation arose after the death of two chimpanzees in Bugoma forest reserve. The chimpanzee were found killed in gardens of communities around Bugoma forests and this is believed to have been done by the local cultivators. This has happened shortly just after conservationists’ efforts worked in vain as the court ruled in the favor of giving away a larger portion of the forest to sugar factory construction and plantations. On Monday 27th September, 2021 two chimpanzees were found in gardens dead in Kikube district just a week after an elephant was found dead still from the same Bugoma Forest Reserve.

The vanished struggles to conserve Bugoma forest reserve has constructed much on why chimpanzees are seen wandering in gardens of communities around the forest yet this had not happened. All areas around the forest reserve were invaded by encroachers and this has exposed the forest inhabits to areas outside the reserve reason why many of the wildlife from the forest reserve are seen wandering in garden.

With much deforestation on Bugoma forest reserve, many forest inhabits are found dead and their death is always associated to attacks by the neighboring local people. If this continue to happen, it means the future of Bugoma forest is not guaranteed like many forests have been lost. The death of the chimpanzees surfaced when they had gone out to look for food due to cheap exposure to outside the forest due to deforestation.

However, the killing still keeps someone wondering why the animals are killed because the chimpanzees unlike monkeys, when they go out to feed they do it carefully. Before the killing of the chimpanzees the chairman of save Bugoma campaign and also the proprietor of the Bugoma Jungle Lodge Mr. Costantino Tesarion said they had received reports that three chimpanzees were being hunted in areas of Nyaigugu village in Kimbugu parish, Kabwoya subcounty in Kikube district and the team of conservationists rushed to rescue the primates but reached when two had already been killed.

This human-wildlife conflict is a biggest threat to conservation efforts in most of Uganda national parks with most areas being encroached on by the people due to the ever-increasing population of people. This has led to loss of wildlife some to near extinction as their habitat is encroached on.

Cause of threats to nature in Bugoma Forest Reserve

Finding chimpanzees and elephants as well other wildlife out of Bugoma forest wasn’t the order not until the threat to the reserve surfaced. This forest has gone through a number of huge attacks from the other parties who consider the forest land to be a potential for sugar cane plantations. As well other endless encroachments for the ongoing illegal logging activities affecting the forest ecosystem, and settlements by the Congolese refugees as well cultivation of tea and tobacco at the outskirts of the reserve. This has reduced on the space of where the animals can confidently and comfortably stay.

In the year 2012, encroachers were evicted from the forest premises and later just after a year in 2013 some encroachers returned to do cultivation.
More tragedy on Bugoma crafted in 2016 when the Bunyoro kingdom claimed dominion on over 5,700 hectares from the government of Uganda, and just in a while part of the forest was leased to Hoima Sugar Company to establish sugar plantations and a sugar processing factory. But this had happened even before 2014 and 2015 where Uganda police was witnessed forcefully evicting a number of citizens in efforts of enabling the company establish sugar plantations and its processing facilities.

The National Forest Authority (NFA), the authority that manages all forest reserves in the country sued the Kingdom for that leasing. Unfortunately, the case never yielded anything and in 2019 the authority lost the case as the court ruling directed the authority to withdraw all their security deployment.

In 2020, National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) wanted a go ahead for the Hoima Sugar Company to use over 22sqm of Bugoma reserve for sugar plantations. This was the birth of the Save Bugoma Campaign which involved a number of conservationists nationally and internationally.

However, the campaign attracted no profit as the High Court ruled in favor of surrendering the forest for the sake of sugar plantation. The clearing of such a large forest is an assurance for the destruction of the chimpanzee habitats allowing them to wander out to the exposure and in return their killing.

The system of corrupt institutions, encroachment on the forest land for both cultivation, wood cutting and charcoal burning and settlements are the major issues why Bugoma forest reserve is getting used up.

Chimpanzees, the Star Attraction of Uganda

Uganda's tourism is largely built on ape tourism and chimpanzee tracking is among the top five most thrilling adventure encounters done by tourists who go on safaris in Uganda. From a number of forests, Uganda hosts over 5000 chimpanzees and the forest accommodates about 500 with limited chances of tracking and among which Bugoma is inclusive.

Chimpanzees in Bugoma are undergoing habituation process and tracking chimpanzees here is cheaper compared to the renowned tracking in Kibale Forest National park. Also, the forest shelter a number of other mammals among which are the various monkeys include the grey checked mangebays, Red tailed monkeys, Blue monkeys and Black and white colobus monkeys among others, golden cats, Bush Elephants, Buffalos, and Antelopes including Uganda Kobs among others. It is also home to 9 reptiles, 260 tree species some are endemic to the reserve over 225 species of birds. All these facilitate on the number of tourist activities done at Bugoma forest reserve.

Kiwanuka Mike
Uganda Parks
+256 712 172005
email us here
Visit us on social media:
Facebook
Twitter

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.