GOVERNMENT ASSURES SAFETY TO TOURIST COMES TO UGANDA

The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) have come out to assure tourists that the border national parks in western Uganda are safe despite ongoing fighting in neighbouring DR Congo.

There has been growing speculation about the safety of tourists visiting Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Lillian Nsubuga, the UWA Public Relations Manager said Wednesday that UWA is working with security agencies and UPDF to maintain land, air and marine surveillance of the parks and borders to ensure safety of visitors.

Also, the wildlife body is working with Rwanda under the Greater Virunga Trans-boundary Collaboration (GVTC) to protect the mountain gorillas in the Virunga Massif where clashes have occurred.

"This reassurance is aimed at assuring tourists that are planning to visit Uganda's parks that they have nothing to worry about their safety, and that they do not need to cancel their trips," Nsubuga said in a statement.
Tourism is currently Uganda's second highest foreign exchange earner, having brought in US$800m last year. Also, last year, Uganda was voted the best tourism destination for 2012 by the Lonely Planet.

She noted that tourist lodges and guest houses in western Uganda areas which border with the restive eastern DRC, have recently reported cancellations or postponements of visits by tourists.

However, other lodges such as Mweya Safari Lodge in Queen Elizabeth National Park and Silverback Lodge in Bwindi, reported not being affected and the reservations had been honoured.

"UWA calls on the public especially communities neighouring the national parks to help in strengthening the security in their areas by reporting any suspicious people or activities in their vicinity," Nsubuga said. http://www.wonderuganda.co.ug

SOUTHERN NH UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR TO STUDY GORILLAS IN UGANDA.

Michele Goldsmith, who holds an endowed chair in biology and ethics at Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester.

A Southern New Hampshire University senior who will accompany one of her professors to Africa to study the interaction between tourists and gorillas says she was more nervous about the shots needed for international travel than she was about living in the wild in Uganda.

Heidi Quigley, a communications major, will help associate professor Michele Goldsmith with research into the effects of repeated exposure of gorillas to tourists who spend hefty sums to visit with the primates in their habitat.

Goldsmith is a biological anthropologist who holds the Christos and Mary Papoutsy Distinguished Chair in Ethics and Social Responsibility. Christos Papoutsy was a successful electronics entrepreneur who has lectured and written on entrepreneurship and ethics.

Going to Africa and spending three weeks among gorillas while living in a tent in central Uganda doesn't worry Quigley.

"My family is super-excited, my parents are so supportive of what I do. They're not nervous about it,” Quigley said. “My friends think I'm crazy."

Goldsmith's research concentrates not only on the impact tourism has on the gorillas, but also on how close encounters with human's closest relatives in the animal kingdom affects tourists.

Guided gorilla tracking excursions have grown in popularity in the hills of Uganda. Tourists clamor for government permits to spend an hour interacting with gorillas in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

The adventures are a major source of tourism revenue for Uganda, leading to more and more groups of gorillas being sought out for contact with more and more humans.

Goldsmith's study concentrates on the impact the contact will have on the long-term ecosystem that supports the gorillas.

"The idea behind the tourism started when gorillas were being butchered, even when they had no value to anybody,” Goldsmith said. “They were just being slaughtered. Their hands were being made into ashtrays."

The gorilla tourism industry has raised money to protect the animals. Goldsmith's research examines the ecological cost. http://www.wonderuganda.co.ug

NEW BWINDI TRAIL TO BOOST TOURISM REVENUE

KISORO, UGANDA — A revamped trail in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park will allow tourists to explore cultural sites in the footsteps of the Batwa tribe in southwest Uganda.
The three-kilometer trail winds through the dense forests of the Muhavura mountain range, known for its troops of golden monkeys and mountain gorillas-two of the most endangered species in the world.
The Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage, the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), with the support of U.S. Mission Uganda and the American people, commissioned new markers along the trail that are expected to boost tourism revenue in the park by approximately 50 percent over the next two years.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) at the U.S. Mission is investing $31,000 to train Batwa people to serve as guides and to improve lighting, walkways, and shelters along the trail. These new features are expected to add $12,500 per year to national tourism revenue, with 50 percent going to approximately 200 local residents.

JAPANESE ROYALS VISITED UGANDA WILDLIFE EDUCATION CENTER

We were much honored to receive His Royal Highness, Prince Akishino and his wife, Princess Akishino, at UWEC on 15th June. The Royals were on a three day visit to Uganda to boost diplomatic relations between the two countries. They visited several projects supported by the Japanese government, UWEC being one of them.

Upon arriving at the center, they were welcomed by two young girls who presented bouquets of sweet scented flowers, before the Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage, Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu, the UWEC management and members of the board officially welcomed them. They toured the information center, which bears a glimpse of the tourism activities and products available in Uganda. They also got to see the bone piecing work done by members of staff who had previously been to Japan through the Yokohama Zoos-UWEC exchange program.

They went on to participate in the Behind-the-Scenes program with the Shoe bill Stork and the Pythons, before heading to the giraffe viewing point to plant a memorial tree. The horticulturalist explained that Prunus Africana, the tree that he gave them to plant, is an evergreen tree traditionally used to cure fevers, malaria, stomach pains, among others; and is a favored food supply for animals.

Their visit could not possibly be considered complete without hand feeding the giraffes. This was obviously an exciting moment for them and they would have continued if it were not for the tight schedule. In appreciation for their visit and consideration, the UWEC management presented portraits of the Gray Crowned Crane, the Shoe bill Stork and the Giraffe symbol, in remembrance of UWEC.

UWEC, through partnership with the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), has benefited quite a lot from the Zoo Exchange Program, through which a number of staff have shared lifetime skills in wildlife care and management. Through the same, the center has received donations in kind for use in the veterinary unit, including incubators and an aesthetic machines.

Prince and Princess Akishino’s visit to Uganda was the first time Japanese royals were touring an African country and we believe we greatly contributed to making their tour a memorable one. http://wonderuganda.co.ug/aboutus.php

BWINDI MOURNS AS OLDEST MALE, REHONDEZA MOUNTAIN GORILLA PASSED AWAY.

Friends of the highly-coveted mountain gorilla’s world over were devastated to learn of the death of Ruhondeza, the most celebrated and oldest male gorilla in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Ruhondeza, believed to have been well over 50 years of age, died in his sleep on June 27, according to communication from Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).
The silver back was an integral member of the Mubare family, the first of the Uganda mountain gorillas to be habituated in 1991.

He was laid to rest at Buhoma (near the Visitor Information Centre) at a funeral attended by tens of hundreds of his ‘human friends’, some of whom even broke into tears seeing the tourism icon’s remains put to rest. When UWA announced Ruhondeza death on their Face book account on Wednesday, the page attracted lots of comments from animal lovers around the world.

Condolence messages
Jen Feuerstein from Michigan, US said: “I am so sad to hear of his passing. I had the pleasure of trekking to observe his group 10 years ago. It was gracious of him to tolerate our presence. Rest in peace, Ruhondeza.”

A one Julie Wolf baby wrote: “RIP and know you contributed greatly to the safety and wellbeing of all of your kind by your leadership in allowing humans to be around your family. It’s like you understood they could help you keep your family safe.”
Uganda relies on her wildlife, especially the mountain gorillas, for tourist attraction and Ruhondeza was an icon symbolizing what gorilla tourism has done for Uganda and the Bwindi communities.

One such achievement is the development of the Buhoma-Mukono Community Development Association and Buhoma Community Hospital as a result of viable tourism.

The Acting Chief Conservation area manager at UWA and former chief warden for Bwindi –Mgahinga Conservation Area, Mr. Charles Tumwesigye, said: “Ruhondeza Mubare group has enabled gorilla eco-tourism to grow and flourish in Uganda and the entire tourism community is saddened by his death.”

A postmortem has been conducted to ascertain the exact cause of his death but by the time of his death, Ruhondeza had resigned to a solitary life in Rubona village where authorities monitored him on a daily basis, according to UWA spokesperson Lillian Nsubuga.

Before he involuntarily relinquished the grip over his throne after his family was attacked and scattered by a wild un-habituated group in March, Ruhondeza had grown frail due to old age. He had so much character as one of the most caring, peaceful and laid-back gorillas around, hence earning his name Ruhondeza which is Rukiga for “the one who loves sleeping.”

But the mystery behind Ruhondeza attitude gets as thick as a jungle creeper, given that he was also a jealous leader, who robustly defended his family against intruders.
But over the past few months, his caretakers became concerned when he started to lose weight.

The silver back is survived by a male descendant capable of taking over his position. His son and only loyal black buck called Kanyonyi, has, besides safeguarding the remnants of his family, grabbed four other members from other groups to keep Mubare viable. http://wonderuganda.co.ug/14daysbestuganda.php