The current elephant population of Uganda is sitting at 5,000 – an increase of 3,000 from 1982 when years of civil war had depleted the numbers to little more than 2,000.
Although this is an encouraging sign, the numbers are still nowhere near where they were in the 1960s when 20,000 of them roamed the Queen Elizabeth National Park.
The increase in population size is encouraging though, and hopefully with sustained stability within the country the trend will continue.
The largest population of elephants live in the Queen Elizabeth National Park – numbers there are said to be around 3,000.
Other protected areas include Kyambura Wildlife Reserve, Kalinzu Forest, Maramagambo Forest, Kibale National Park, Rwenzori National Park and the Virunga in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
If your curiosity is still not satisfied, sanctuaries such as the Murchison Falls (with 1500 elephants), Bwindi and Sango Bay are definitely worth a visit.
Interesting Facts about Uganda
– Uganda is a landlocked country situated in East Africa.
– It has been referred to as the Pearl of Africa by Winston Churchill, and has an incredibly diverse range of fauna as well as being home to the endangered mountain gorilla and chimpanzee.
– Uganda is a very accessible and affordable destination, although it is not as developed as other countries in Africa which gives it a distinct edge over its rivals.
– A Uganda safari is very authentic and at times frustrating – due to the lack of infrastructure.
– The people are very friendly and visitors always receive a warm welcome from the locals.
– There are noticeably less people of European descent in Uganda compared to other African countries. Indeed, European settlement was not allowed during colonial rule. This adds to the feeling of authenticity.
– The main tourist destinations are the Murchison Falls, the Kibale Forest National Park, the Queen Elizabeth National Park, the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.