The Uganda Wildlife Conservation Centre (UWEC) has responded to criticism over its proposal to allocate Shs10 billion towards a lion breeding initiative, emphasizing that the funds will also be used for conservation efforts and community awareness against poaching.David Musingo, Head of the Lion Recovery Programme at UWEC, addressed concerns before Parliament’s Committee of Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE).He clarified that the project aims not only to breed lions but also to enhance park security and educate local communities, drawing from successful models in South Africa and Malawi.“Our concept involves a comprehensive strategy to bolster lion populations in Uganda, particularly in parks like Kidepo National Park where numbers have dwindled drastically,” Musingo explained in response to queries from MPs.Medard Sseggona , the COSASE chairperson pressed UWEC to outline measures to combat the decline in lion numbers and underscored the importance of a robust strategy to prevent further population loss.James Musinguzi, Executive Director of UWEC, affirmed the centre’s commitment to increasing the lion population, citing successes at the zoo and plans for reintroduction into national parks.He attributed the decline in park populations to human-wildlife conflict and disease outbreaks exacerbated by cross-border issues with neighboring countries like South Sudan.Sseggona criticized UWEC for insufficiently explaining the lion breeding program to the public, suggesting that clearer communication could have mitigated the backlash.“Why shy away from breeding lions? The issue lies in communication. If properly explained, breeding lions for conservation shouldn’t be controversial,” Sseggona asserted during the committee session.Earlier this year, UWEC had requested Shs10 billion in the 2024/25 National Budget Framework Paper for lion breeding efforts, citing successful outcomes at the Entebbe Zoo.However, parliamentary approval was delayed pending harmonization of cost estimates with Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), which had also sought funds for a similar initiative.According to lion alert survey in 2013, Uganda has a lion population of less than 600 lions in the wild. This implies that the lions are far more endangered than the mountain gorillas but have not received the same treat in quest to preserve the King of the Jungle.It is reported that lion population has dropped by 33% in the last ten years, with Murchison falls national park losing more than 60% of the total lion population in the last ten years.There many causes to the lion population drop but the major drops can be attributed to the following three factors, weak legal framework poaching, and lion trafficking, among others which prompted the government the Uganda Wildlife Authority – UWA though UWEC to recommend lion breeding.Credit: Parliament Watchhttps://www.ugbulletin.co.ug/uwec-explains-need-for-shs10bn-to-breed-lions/
