Introduction
Uganda is home to some of the most wondrous wildlife on the planet. Giraffes, elephants and zebras roam the iconic savannah, being careful to evade the claws of lions, leopards and cheetahs. Magnificent mountain gorillas have found refuge in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and hippos bathe in the rivers of Queen Elizabeth National Park. But as a result of Uganda’s population growth and the intensification of farming animals, the wildlife of the country now finds itself under the threat of extinction.
Buffalo (African)
There are only about 400,000 African buffaloes in the whole of Africa, plummeting from 900,000 in 1999.
Giraffe
Uganda is home to over half of Africa’s Nubian (formerly Rothschild’s) giraffes (G. c. camelopardalis), a subspecies of the Northern giraffe.
Elephant (African savannah bush)
The African bush elephant is found more widely across Uganda, but mainly in Kidepo, Murchison Falls, Semuliki, and the Greater Virunga Landscape.
Mongoose (banded)
The banded mongoose (Mungos mungo) is a highly social, small weasel-like carnivorous mammal found across Africa
Spotted hyena
There are an estimated 27,000 to 47,000 hyenas in the wild and these numbers are steadily decreasing.
Jackal (black-backed)
Jackals are social and co-operative, and with their family brave, loyal and kind.
Cheetah
The elegant, wildly-fast cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is a large carnivorous cat found across Africa, with a small population of Asiatic cheetahs in Iran.
Leopard (African)
Despite the wide range across Uganda, the African leopard is on the brink of extinction
Lion
The king of cats, the majestic and magnificent lion (Panthera leo) is, tragically, a critically endangered species.
