Poaching is the illegal hunting of wild animals and birds. In Uganda, poaching is criminal and who ever caught in the act serves heavy punishment. However, poaching is still practiced in game reserves and National parks like Kidepo Valley National Park, Queen Elizabeth national park, murchision Falls National park, Lake Mburo National park, Semliki National park, Kibale Forest national park, mountain Rwenzori national park, Bwindi Impenetrable National park, Mountain Elgon National Park among others.
But the government is trying to control the act through the following ways:
Day and night patrolling through game parks and game reserves. The Uganda of Uganda is employing security guards to ensure that animals and birds are guarded day and night. The Uganda wildlife authority has its own security organ trained to secure all game parks and reserves.
The Government of Uganda has set organs like Uganda wildlife Authority to run all tourism activities in Uganda by ensuring security, monitoring welfare of wild animals and birds, treating them among other tourism activities.
Serious punishments are given to whoever caught in the act of poaching. As mentioned above, poaching is a criminal act in Uganda and heavy punishments are rewarded to poachers.
Demarcating game reserves and National Parks – the Uganda government through Uganda Wildlife Authority and Uganda Tourism Board trying to resettle people around the habitats of wild animals and birds. It is done to create enough space for the animals, birds and then control poaching.
The government is trying to educate people about wildlife preservation. The citizens are told the importance of reserving wild animals and birds with the aim of controlling poaching.
People near the parks and game reserves are being employed by the government to earn a living. It is believed that once people get sources of income, illegal hunting can be controlled.
The Uganda government is trying to share profits from tourism with the local communities through services like road construction, clean water, setting up schools and healthy centers among others. Once people benefit from wild animals and birds, poaching can be controlled.
The Uganda government is putting up spy network to report poaching activities in the society. Some local people are trained to spy poachers and give report to the government to take actions.
Some game reserves are being fences to control direct encroachment. Game reserves like Entebbe Wildlife Education centre, Nganmba Island chimpanzee sanctuary are fenced. The act is aiming at controlling poaching.
The government is also training tourism police and setting up police stations around game reserves. The reason is control illegal hunting of wild animals and birds.
Reporting centres are being set up near game parks and game reserves. It is believed that each reserve and park has headquartered where poaching cases are reported.
The government is employing qualifies persons to run tourism activities in Uganda. Rangers guides and guards are well trained with necessary qualification – this is done to control illegal hunting of animals and birds.
The workers are paid well and given satisfying salary – it is aimed at controlling illegal hunting of animals which would have been done once workers are not happy.
The government has bought patrol vehicles to survey all game reserves and National parks in shortest time possible.
The government is passing warning messages through radios, televisions, posters, and Internet social media among others. This is done to let people know the dangers of killing wild animals and birds.
The government through security organizes like Uganda People’s Defense Forces, Uganda Police among others is trying to tighten security at all its borders and other entry points like Airport to safe guard animals and bird trafficking.
People caught in poaching acts are judged in the presence of community residents to serve as an example to others. On the other hand, punishments are passed on to criminals to threaten others from doing the same.
