| That status quo derives from a policy adopted | | | | exportation of the hunters' ammunition, |
| in 2001, when the Uganda Wildlife Authority | | | | rifles and trophies, as well as collect the |
| (UWA), the institution mandated to ensure the | | | | hunting fees. |
| safety and preservation of the country's | | | | |
| wildlife designed an ingenious technique to | | | | With game hunter in the picture, it suddenly |
| arrest declining numbers of the animal | | | | wasn't a great idea to summon a platoon of |
| population, by curtailing illegal and | | | | hunters to kill one baboon, whose meat does |
| indiscriminate hunting. | | | | not rank amongst the country's delicacies, |
| | | | when ranch owners could protect a animal that |
| With an absence of restrictive measures in | | | | strayed onto their land, in the hope that if |
| place, local had previous dealt with wildlife | | | | these hunters came around and killed it, they |
| as they wished, killing it as much for food | | | | could earn up to 10% of the value that UWA |
| as for the purpose of safeguarding their | | | | has placed on the animal |
| garden, something to which the same wildlife | | | | |
| posed a constant threat. In the case of the | | | | The value placed on animals, which sport |
| latter, ranch owners, such as those in the | | | | hunters pay for the game they pursue, ranges |
| neighbourhood of Lake Mburo National Game | | | | from $90 to over $500. The value placed on a |
| park in western Uganda, openly encouraged | | | | baboon for example, is $90, while rare |
| illegal hunting on their estates as the only | | | | species like the eland cost hunter $650. |
| way of dealing especially with habivoures | | | | |
| that competed with livestock for pasture, or | | | | The turnaround, in as far as bolstering |
| hampered crop production. | | | | animal population is concerned, has been |
| | | | tremendous. UWA's report shows only about 5 |
| The lack of any form of control on hunting of | | | | (on average) animals killed every year in |
| these creatures resulted into a tremendous | | | | comparison to 50 animals that were killed per |
| decline of the animals' population and in | | | | year before the pilot project was put in |
| fact a total extinction of some species like | | | | place and illegal hunting reports have |
| the black and white rhinos by the late 1970s. | | | | reduced by more than half. |
| | | | |
| To Deal with this problem, the UWA's remedy | | | | The conservation effort is earning an average |
| was drastic as it was innovative. Hunting, | | | | of $2400 a year, collected from sport hunters |
| which had been bunned in 1979 was | | | | -and even if by any means a mammoth return, |
| re-legalised -formally recognizing the | | | | it goes some way in showing that a little |
| practice as a sport. This measure, introduced | | | | innovation, ranch owners and wildlife can be |
| as a pilot project in Western Uganda, also | | | | turned from foes to friends, exactly where |
| had an unprecedented incentive thrown into | | | | UWA wants them to be. |
| the works: ranch owners would be paid for | | | | |
| animals killed on their farms. | | | | That ultimately ensures tourists and sport |
| | | | hunting enthusiasts have more to aim at, |
| UWA then went ahead to license a company, | | | | whether it is with camera lens or hunting |
| Game Trails Uganda Limited, to which it | | | | rifle. And of course, the county's wildlife |
| developed authority to bring hunters into the | | | | get to live a while longer. |
| country, handle the importation and | | | | |