Story of a Survivor: The Ugandan Elephant
Story of a Survivor: The Ugandan Elephant
Before the year 1920, Sixty Thousand (60,000) Elephants roamed freely in the grasslands
and forests of Uganda. This was before the fast industrial agricultural expansion that
robbed the Elephants of their home. The Elephants were pushed to specific areas where
man wouldn’t survive, like those infested with Tsetseflies. However, because reproduction
never stopped, the Elephant population continued to grow until it would no longer be
controlled in the designated areas by the year 1960.
This forced a decision to bring down the number of Elephants to a more sustainable
population, or so it was thought! A few years later, Political instability started out which
gave a free pass to Elephant poaching for ivory resulting to the murder of thousands of
Elephants. Most of the killings came after President Idd Amin Dada was overthrown.
Soldiers of the Tanzanian Army and the Uganda National Liberation Army poached the
Elephants both for Ivory and meat. This significantly reduced the Elephants’ population to
under 1000.
The worldwide ban on ivory sale in 1989, the restoration of Peace and Stability together
with the anti-poaching projects and established laws in Uganda, saw the Ugandan Elephant
rebound from the verge of extinction, although, Elephants are still listed among the
endangered species worldwide. The Elephant population in Uganda continues to grow.
Currently there are more than 5,000 elephants in the National Parks without including the
small populations in Forest reserves and other areas.
There are two species of Elephants in Uganda. The Savannah (bush) and the Forest
Elephant. The Savannah Elephant is larger, and it tusks curve outwards whereas the tusks
of the Forest Elephant are straighter and point downwards.
Forest elephants have more oval shaped ears. They also have a slower reproductive rate
rendering them more vulnerable to extinction.
Savannah elephants can be found mostly in Kidepo Valley, Murchison Falls, Queen
Elizabeth and Mount Elgon National Parks. The Forest Elephant is mainly found in Kibale
and Bwindi Impenetrable National Parks.
Author: Sheira Kaima
PICS folder: Story of a Survivor