9 Baffalos and more hippos die from Anthrax in Queen Elizabeth Park
An anthrax outbreak in Queen Elizabeth National Park has killed 82 hippos and nine buffaloes since June 2010.
The chairman of the National Anthrax Task Force Dr Nicholas Kauta told journalists on Thursday that the most affected areas are those surrounding Kazinga Channel and lakes Edward and George.
As a national response, he said, the task force is implementing a multi-pronged response which includes undertaking a base line study to determine the extent of the outbreak and affected species through carrying out carcass management, marine and terrestrial patrols and sample analysis.
He warned people around the area not to graze animals in the park, report all sicknesses and deaths in wild and domestic animals to authorities and not to consume meat from sick and dead animals.
He said there will be a ring vaccination of livestock in the national park and all health centres have been put on high alert.
Anthrax is caused by bacteria (bacillus anthracis) in the atmosphere. Animals mainly herbivores get it through contaminated grass, soil and water.
Humans can acquire it through eating contaminated meat and animal products from infected animals.
The park has often experienced attacks in 1954 and in 1994 and 2004. In 2004, about 300 hippos died.
The Uganda Wild Life Authority says there is no cause of alarm that all animals in the park might die because the beasts have natural immunity to the disease.
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Tanzania Tourist Board gets new Managing Director
Dr. Aloyce K. Nzuki has been appointed as the new Managing Director of the Tanzania Tourist Board
Dr. Nzuki brings years of experience in the tourism industry to the position. He previously worked with Tanzania’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism as an Assistant Director in Tourism Development and Tourism Research, Training and Statistics.
He was appointed by H.E. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of the United Republic of Tanzania
Under Dr. Nzuki’s direction, the Tanzania Tourist Board will continue to promote sustainable tourism domestically and internationally.
“As Tanzania’s tourism industry, which accounts for 17.2 percent of the country’s GNP, keeps growing, we will remain focused on high quality, low impact tourism to ensure the sustainability of the tourism product. We look forward to continuing the momentum started in the United States, which remains our number-one market,” said Dr. Nzuki.
Dr. Nzuki studied Statistics at Makerere University in Uganda and completed a master’s degree in Tourism Marketing at University of Surrey in England. He holds a doctorate
Degree in Parks, Recreation & Tourism Management from Clemson University of South Carolina.
Until last month, Dr. Nzuki was an Assistant Professor of International Business Administration at the College of Applied Sciences in Salalah, Oman. He has also worked as a member of the United Nations World Tourism Organization’s World Committee on Tourism Ethics, the body responsible for interpreting, applying and evaluating the provisions of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism.
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Ugandan Lions to get Extinct
The Research projects done on<a href="http://katonatours.com/aboutuganda.html"> lions in Uganda </a>indicate that almost two males, and three females, are killed every year. This, therefore, implies that this year's share of lion death has been fulfilled already by those unscrupulous people in Kasenyi who poisoned the 5<a href="http://katonatours.com/safaris/uganda/3days-queen-elizabeth-safari.html"> lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park</a>. And if the trend increases along with other occurrences, the annual death rate is likely to double resulting into extinction of lions.
This implies at that rate, Uganda is bound to have no lions to show to the tourists that flock the country for a unique wildlife experience. Worse still, there is cause for worry, as the children of tomorrow might not get to see lions.
According to the <a href="http://katonatours.com/safaris/uganda/7days-cultural-wildlife-safari-uganda.html">Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), </a>the total lion population in Uganda could be slightly over 750. They live isolated in groups in only three of Uganda's 10 national parks. The deteriorating population of lions faces lots of challenges. Human population outbursts have led to human and livestock encroachment on wildlife habitats, leading to predator-livestock or wildlife-human conflicts. The end result has been; livestock losses due to lion predation, killing of lions for medicinal or cultural practices, death of lions by hit and run vehicles, loss of prey animals as they are poached by people or killed by diseases.
UWA indicates that the greatest decline in lion populations was during the civil wars in Uganda between 1970s and the early 1980s, due to lawlessness. Protected areas like <a href="http://katonatours.com/safaris/uganda/3days-mburo-wildlife-safari.html">Lake Mburo National Park </a>are reported to be devoid of the lion populations that once lived there. They were all killed by the neighboring pastoral communities but a few of them have been spotted some where in the park.
The Uganda Wild life Authority has put a lot of effort in conservation of lions by making partnership with various stakeholders to uplift the cause. Through its collaboration with institutions like Makerere University, through the Lions Project, NGOs like CARE and other foreign donors, conservation efforts have been put up to improve the survival rate of lions. This they are doing through research, neighboring community involvement and donor support.
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Uganda’s Tourism potential not well tapped
The Tourism sector of Uganda sparks debate on the approaches that the sector should take to finance its growth. Having shaken off most of the negative perceptions that derailed its growth until the late 1990s, the sector has recovered considerably. According to figures from the ministry of Trade and Tourism, revenue from tourism was $350 million in 2006, $450 million in 2007 and $600 million in 2008.
Moses Mapesa, the executive director of Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), notes that encroachment and illegal access have often posed challenges to the management of such protected areas.
Between 2007 and 2008, the government allowed oil companies to carry out exploration activities in both Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls National Parks, while Hima Cement was granted a licence to mine cement at Dura in Queen Elizabeth National Park.Although these companies are compelled to ensure that they do not extensively damage the parks, the intrusion of humans and machinery often destabilizes the animals’ habitats eternally.
Mapesa argues that such challenges facing conservation have compelled them to strike a balance between development and conservation –an activity that was often carried out with the help of donor funding. “The pressures exerted on conservation in Uganda generally call for a paradigm shift from conservation just for the sake of it and using conservation to promote development and poverty alleviation,” explains Mr Mapesa.
Recently, UWA got semi-autonomous status from the Tourism ministry, started the Uganda Wildlife Conservation Trust. It is expected to generate funds locally for conservation activities, especially as donor funding reduces. According to Imelda Bacudo, a conservation finance advisor at UWA, the Trust will have a rigorous business plan for each national park and wildlife reserve aimed at ensuring they operate at optimal performance. “Once you put the money in a Trust fund then it becomes independent and transparent and it is managed by very technical financial managers.
UWA Spokesperson, Lillian Nsubuga, says while tourism revenue has gone up, most of it is from one activity; gorilla tracking. “Most of our parks bring in more than we put in,” she said. “The gorillas are actually helping to save other wildlife like hippos, elephants, impalas, zebras, gazelles, jaguars, cheetahs, etc.
Income from gorillas support conservation of other species but we are moving towards a period of more equitable distribution.” While a semi-autonomous status has given UWA the room to try out new conservation and fund-generating ideas, other sub-sectors that are funded solely by the government seem bereft of creativity. According to the Commissioner for museums and monuments in the ministry of Trade, Tourism and Industry, Ms Rose Nkaale Mwanje, more than 500 cultural and natural tourist sites are endangered.
Unfortunate sites like Wamala Tombs, Ntutsi Mounds and Nyero Rock Paintings are among those being destroyed due to lack of funds to maintain them, lack of appropriate laws, ignorance of locals neighboring the sites and land encroachment.
Yet the rhetoric from the government does not promise much for sub-sectors still funded largely from state coffers, with the minister for Tourism, Trade and Industry, Mr Kahinda Otafiire, saying, “Government is committed to giving financial support to the tourism industry but the bread bake is still
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