Wildlife Reserves in Uganda : There are different wildlife reserves found in Uganda and they include the following;
- Ajai wildlife reserve
The Ajai wildlife reserve is located on the banks of the Albertine Nile in the northern part of Uganda. The reserve coves about 148 square kilometers and it consists of swamps as well as savannah grassland and woodlands.
Some of the wildlife species which are found in the Ajai wildlife reserve include hippos, Uganda kobs, hartebeests, bushbucks, waterbucks, baboons, black and white colobus monkeys among others.
- Bugungu wildlife reserve
The Bugungu wildlife reserve is part of the Murchison falls conservation area and is located in the north western part of Uganda in Buliisa district.
This wildlife reserve was originally established as a controlled hunting area in 1968. The Bugungu reserve acts as a buffer zone for the Murchison falls national park which is among the popular national parks of Uganda.
The reserve covers about 473 square kilometers and consists of open savannah woodland and is home to different wildlife species such as lions, elephants, warthogs, buffalos, waterbucks, Uganda kobs, hartebeests among others.
- Karuma wildlife reserve
The Karuma wildlife reserve is another reserve which is part of the Murchison falls conservation area in north western Uganda.
It covers about 675 square kilometers and the Karuma wildlife reserve adjoins Murchison falls national park to the north. The Karuma wildlife reserve consists of savannah grasslands as well as forests and also the Karuma waterfalls.
Wildlife species which can be seen around the Karuma wildlife reserve include elephants, giraffes, and buffalos, antelopes among others which sometimes cross to the reserve from Murchison falls national park.
- Toro Semliki wildlife reserve
The Toro Semliki wildlife reserve was established in 1926 and is among the first established protected areas in Uganda.
It is located in the districts of Kabarole and Ntoroko in the western part of Uganda. The Toro Semuliki wildlife reserve covers about 542 square kilometers and is part of the attractions found in the rift valley.
The wildlife reserve consists of savannah grassland, acacia woodland as well as swamps. Different activities can be done when visiting the Toro Semliki wildlife reserve and they include primate walks, game drives, nature walks, community tours, boat rides, hiking, wildlife viewing and also bird watching.
Tourists visiting this reserve can also visit Lake Albert and enjoy boat rides and bird watching during their tours in western Uganda.
Some of the wildlife species found in the Toro Semliki wildlife reserve include elephants, buffalos, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, warthogs, giant forest hog, hippos and primates like chimpanzees, baboons, vervet monkeys, red tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys.
Over 440 bird species are found in the Toro Semliki wildlife reserve including the Black Billed Barbet, Abyssinian Hornbill, Red-necked Falcon among others.
- Katonga wildlife reserve
The Katonga wildlife reserve is located in the western part of Uganda in districts of Kyenjojo and Kamwenge.
It covers an area of 207 square kilometers and was established in 1996. The Katonga wildlife reserve is made up of grassland, woodland, as well as seasonal and permanent wetlands. The wetlands found in this reserve are interlinked with the Nile system.
Wildlife species which can be seen around the Katonga wildlife reserve include waterbucks, hippos, sitatunga, hippos, River otters, Uganda kobs, reedbuck, bushbucks, duikers, primates like black and white colobus monkeys, olive baboons as well as a variety of bird species.
- Kigezi wildlife reserve
The Kigezi wildlife reserve was established in 1952 and it is located on the western arm of the rift valley in the western part of Uganda.
This reserve is an extension of the Queen Elizabeth national park and it covers an area of about 265 square kilometers.
The Kigezi wildlife reserve is made up of forest and savannah grassland and is home to a variety of wildlife species such as black and white colobus monkeys, chimpanzees, lions, leopards, elephants, warthogs, hippos, buffalos, waterbucks, Uganda kobs, bushbucks, topi, oribi among others. There are also different bird species found around the reserve.
- Kyambura wildlife reserve
The Kyambura wildlife reserve is located in the south western part of Uganda and was established in1965.
This reserve is bordered by the Kazinga channel and it is home to various wildlife species. Kyambura wildlife reserve was named after the Kyambura river and it consists of hills as well as crater lakes, savannah grassland as well as forest.
It is located next to the Queen Elizabeth national park and the Kyambura wildlife reserve is home to wildlife species such as chimpanzees which can be seen during chimpanzee tracking experiences. The reserve is also home to hippos, lions, leopards, elephants, buffalos, antelopes among others as well as numerous bird species.
The Kyambura wildlife reserve acts as a buffer zone for wildlife species from Queen Elizabeth national park.
- Wildlife Reserves in Uganda : Pian Upe wildlife reserve
The Pian Upe wildlife reserve was established in 1964 and is located in the eastern part of Uganda. The reserve consists of a high plateau area as well as rolling plains and wooded savannah grasslands.
A variety of wildlife species are found in the Pian Upe wildlife reserve and they include lions, leopards, cheetahs, giraffes, buffalos, waterbucks, Uganda kobs, oribi, topi, zebras as well as different bird species including Ostriches, Secretary birds, Yellow-Billed Shrike among others.
- Wildlife Reserves in Uganda : Matheniko wildlife reserve
The Matheniko wildlife reserve was established in 1964 and it is located in the Karamoja region. The reserve is also part of the Karamoja plateau.
Some of the wildlife species found in the Matheniko wildlife reserve lions, leopards, cheetahs, giraffes, elands, roan antelopes, gazelles among others.
- Wildlife Reserves in Uganda : Bokora corridor wildlife reserve
The Bokora corridor wildlife reserve was established in 1964 and is located in the eastern part of Uganda between Matheniko wildlife reserve and Pian Upe wildlife reserve.
The reserve is made up of a plateau as well as wooded savannah grassland. Some of the wildlife species found in the Bokora corridor wildlife reserve include topi, elands, Uganda kobs, reedbucks, hartebeests, spotted hyenas among others.
- Wildlife Reserves in Uganda : Kabwoya wildlife reserve
The Kabwoya wildlife reserve is located in Hoima district in the Albertine rift escarpment and was gazetted in 2002.
Wildlife species which can be seen in the Kabwoya wildlife reserve include Uganda kobs, bush duiker, oribi, warthogs, bushbucks, bushpigs and colobus.
