Ground Survey of Large to Medium Mammals in Luwero District Concession Area Uganda
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GROUND SURVEY OF LARGE TO MEDIUM MAMMALS IN LUWERO DISTRICT CONCESSION AREA UGANDA Report prepared by F. Wanyama, F. E, Kisame I. Bwire and A. Rwetsiba, UGANDA WILDLIFE AUTHORITY December 2017 Table of Contents Table of Contents ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------i Acknowledgements ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- iii Summary ------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- iv CHAPTER 1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 Survey of Wild Animals in Luwero District ---------------------------------------------------------------- 1 Introduction--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 Objective of the survey ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 CHAPTER 2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 Census Method ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 Survey design ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 Method used to count animals--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6 Data collection----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6 Animal sightings--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 Dung/Fecal surveys ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 Foot print/spoors surveys --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 Human activity----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 CHAPTER 3: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8 Data Analysis ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8 Results of wild mammal sightings ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8 Wild animal distribution maps-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 Human impacts-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13 Charcoal burning------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13 Poaching---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14 Vegetation change---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 15 CHAPTER 4: Discussions and Conclusion -------------------------------------------------------------- 19 Economics of wildlife------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19 Mammal population and occurrence ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 19 Sustainability of the wildlife enterprise program --------------------------------------------------------- 19 Conclusion-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19 REFERENCES - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 21 Appendix I: GPS start and end points (survey coordinates) for transects -------------------- 22 Appendix II: Ground Survey Data Sheet --------------------------------------------------------------- 24 Appendix III: Ground Survey Crew ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 25 List of table Table 3.1: Population of wild mammal encounters in Luwero district, October 2017 .................. 8 Table 3.2: Record of animal evidence from spoors (dung and footprints) in Luwero district........ 9 Table 3.3: Comparison of 2005 and 2015 Class areas..............................................................17 List of Figure Figure 1.1: Location of Luwero district-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 Figure 2.1: Location of transects in Luwero concession survey zone ----------------------------------- 5 Figure 3.1: Dung and footprints of some of the animals recorded in Luwero survey zone --------- 9 Figure 3.4: Locations of charcoal making sites in the district-------------------------------------------- 13 i Figure 3.5: Charcoal burning activities------------------------------------------------------------------------ 14 Figure 3.6: Arrested poachers with their hunting gear ---------------------------------------------------- 15 Figure 3.7: Land cover map of Luwero district survey area for 2005 and 2015--------------------- 16 Figure 3.8: Area in Luwero district cleared and under cultivation -------------------------------------- 18 ii Acknowledgements Uganda Wildlife Authority organized and carried out the survey of large to medium mammals in Luwero District. The Resident District Commissioner, Luwero District gave the exercise a green light and we are grateful to him. We thank the Chief Wardens of KCA, MECA, LMNP, MFCA, QECA, in charges of UWEC, and ZIWA who timely provided the staff that undertook the survey. We thank the Ministry of Tourism Wildlife and Antiquities that seconded two staff (Mr. Tumusime Boaz and Mr. Baluku Joward) who participated in the survey. We take this opportunity to also thank the Chairman Luwero Wildlife Association, Mr. Mulwana Sam for his incite during the survey exercise. We are also grateful for the District Police Commander Luwero who made sure that our fire arms were kept well and in good working condition. Finally gratitude goes to the UWA field staff for their dedicated support during the entire field data collection exercise. The public relations they exhibited during the fieldwork helped enlighten the communities on their role in wildlife management. iii Summary The survey targeted medium to large mammal in Luwero district. It started with notification of the security and political leaders at the district and sub county level. Mobilization of resources and personnel, was then done to enable a smooth flow of the exercise. The staff who participated in the survey were drawn from the different UWA protected areas of Uganda. The survey crew camped in Luwero town for easy accessibility to the different transects in survey zone. The survey team was trained on the use of field equipment and the general ground survey procedures. The survey team was divided into 8 groups comprising of UWA staff and local communities from sub counties of Luwero. A total of 90 transects were traversed during the data collection period. During the exercise, three wardens were attached to administer the data collection thereby ensuring that good quality data was being collected. This helped to train the participants in collecting quality data hence continually building a reliable ground survey team for UWA. In Luwero district, the wild animal population have significantly reduced due to land use change and poaching activities. Animals were sighted but in very low numbers and these included; bushbucks, vervet monkeys, and duikers. Poaching for wild meat in the area was evident through arrests made during the exercise. There was notable land use change in the district were subsistence farmland increased by 22 percent from what it used to be in year 2005. This increase was as per 2015 and in the survey year, 2017, it could have doubled. Bushland vegetation has also substantially reduced from its original status of 2005. It’s therefore noticeable that charcoal burning and land conversion for agriculture have caused habitat alteration of the area. All the areas have heavy agriculture activities and settlement especially Kikyusa and Zirobwe where animals have completely disappeared either through hunting of shifting due to loss of habitat. It is definite that the sport hunting activity cannot go on in Luwero district due to the alternate land use activities by the land owners. iv CHAPTER 1 Survey of Wild Animals in Luwero District Introduction Luwero District is found in Central Uganda, bordered by Nakasongola District to the north, Kayunga District to the east, Mukono District to the southeast, Wakiso District to the south, and Nakaseke District to the west (Figure 1.1). Luwero district covers an area of approximately 2,217 square kilometers. Luwero District is divided into thirteen (13) administrative units Bombo town council , Luwero town council , Wobulenzi town council, and sub counties of Bamunanika, Kalagala, Kamira, Kikyusa, Zirobwe, Butuntumula, Katikamu, Luwero, Makulubita, and Nyimbwa (Figure 1.1). Of the 13 administrative units, only four (04) Butuntumula, Kamira, Kikyusa and Zirobwe sub counties (Figure 1.2) were viable for wildlife conservation due to the then suitable vegetation. Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has the statutory obligation to manage and conserve wildlife outside Protected Areas for the benefit of all the stakeholders and the local communities. UWA therefore revived management of wildlife outside protected areas and one such area was Luwero District. The concessionaire who took management of this area has one of