The Uganda Wildlife Education Center

Location;

Uganda Wildlife Authority is located on the Shores of Lake Victoria. It has rich vegetation and a wide range of birds, butterflies and other free roaming animals that make it an attractive venue for education as well as recreation for those who visit it.

Background

It was popularly known as Entebbe Zoo and was opened in 1952 as a reception center for wildlife animals that were found as causalities that is sick and injured, orphaned and confiscated from illegal trade. In the early 1960’s, it changed its role to ma zoo where a number of non-indigenous species including bears and tigers were kept as an attraction. With the restricting in wildlife management in the country in 1994, the Uganda wildlife Education center Trust (UWECT) was founded in order to take over the Zoo and to develop it with emphasis for conservation Education.

The Uganda Wildlife Education Center (UWEC’S) function

-       Conservation education function

-       A rescue and rehabilitation center

-       A recreation center where people come to see animals and refresh themselves

The Uganda Wildlife Education Center (UWEC’s) Mission statement

To promote and create an understanding of conserving the biodiversity in Uganda among the public with specific emphasis on the young generation

Values UWEC

Honesty
The center exhibits the highest level of honesty in all dealings with its visitors, clients and all stakeholders in general

Integrity
A hallmark of UWEC’s dealings with all its visitors, internal and external clients and all stakeholders in general

Accountability
UWEC hold itself accountable to the entire public, to the different international conventions that the country is signed to, both in its operations and management

Respect for wildlife and nature
UWEC hold in respect the wildlife and nature of this earth and will hold this in priority in all its operations and dealings; will strive to create awareness of issues affecting this nature and wildlife and will advocate tireless for the sustainable utilization of the same.

Professionalism
UWEC conduct itself and its business in a professional manner with due respect accorded to ethical operation of its business and following of ‘best practice’ in all its dealings

Customer-focused service
All this is done in a customer focused manner that takes due care of the interests and feelings of all stakeholders.

Animals at Uganda Wildlife Education Centre

Carnivores
Lion and Leopard

Hoofstocks
Rhino, Zebra, Waterbucks, Kobs, Giraffe, Eland, Giant Forest Hog, Reedbuck, Warthog, Buffalo, Duiker, Bush buck, Elephant

Primates
Baboon, Monkey, chimpanzee,

Ecosystems
Wetland
UWEC having the mandate to educate the public on the importance of conserving the country’s biodiversity has created a wetland aviary within the centre that is used for educational purposes. It is one of the best representations of this type of ecosystem. It houses Sushi, the Shoebill Stork, a pelican, monitor lizards and a variety of fish including the mud fish. This is a must visit.

Savannah
Like the African Savannah, the world’s largest of this type of ecosystem; the UWEC Savannah covers the largest area within the centre and is represented by the Kidepo, Queen Elizabeth and Lake Mburo exhibits. These have been created in such a way that reflect the country’s national parks, complete with the flora and fauna that can be found therein.

Forest
The Uganda Wildlife Education Center (UWEC) acting as a window on Uganda has created a representation of the Budding Forest in which 11 chimpanzees are housed and over 250 species of birds range freely in  the forest