TEEKU PATEL
In Uganda, as elsewhere in Africa, conflict between wildlife and local communities routinely undermines community engagement in conservation. Roughly half of the 11.4 million cattle in Uganda are found in the western part of the country, where they regularly graze inside Lake Mburo National Park alongside the park’s wild inhabitants.
Through the USAID/Uganda Biodiversity Programme, AWF recently contributed to the launch of the Ankole Cattle Conservation Center within the park, an effort by the Uganda Wildlife Authority to underscore the value of conservation for Ugandans. The center aims to demonstrate that, with proper planning, wildlife and livestock can sustainably coexist. As a tourist attraction, it will also generate additional revenue for the park while paying tribute to the importance of cattle in local culture. The cattle center gives tourists the opportunity to learn about Ankole cattle – unique to Uganda and known for their impressively massive horns.