STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY STEWARDSHIP IN THE CONSERVATION AND PROTECTION OF HIPPOPOTAMUS IN QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK IN KASESE DISTRICT

Uganda is home to an incredible array of animal species, making it one of the most bio diverse countries on the planet yet, Uganda’s precious hippopotamus is continuously declining in population because of multiple threats specifically poaching for cultural and bush meat exploitation.

Good Hope Foundation for Rural Development with support from Prince Bernhard Nature Fund is a implementing a project on conserving and protecting hippopotamuses in Queen Elizabeth national park in Kasese district western part of Uganda which was build on the notion that the continuous declining population of hippopotamus in Queen Elizabeth national park is as a result of habitat loss and commercial or bush meat exploitation. In this project, the implementing partner is working with communities, schools and local leaders to work as change makers.

The project is mainly focusing on changing the negative attitudes and practices among the community members that perpetuate decline in the hippopotamus in Queen Elizabeth national park through public and political awareness programs to reduce human-wildlife conflict, reducing exploitation of hippopotamus for meat, pet trade and traditional and medicinal uses brought about by community members appreciating the importance of Hippopotamus and the need for their existence.

The project is community led in nature and its being spear headed by the trained community-based structures which include; community wildlife ambassadors and the wildlife school clubs who play a big role in mobilizing and sensitizing communities on conserving and protecting hippopotamuses in Queen Elizabeth national park. The project targets 2 primary, 5 secondary schools, 7 school wildlife clubs each composing of 30 children, 900 men and women from 28 villages and 25 local leaders. All these target groups and villages are neighboring Queen Elizabeth national park.

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