The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has translocated 15 giraffes from Murchison Falls National Park in Nwoya District to Lake Mburo National Game Park in Kiruhura District.
UWA executive director Andrew Seguya flagged off the transnight journey on Tuesday. Eight giraffes, including two bulls and six females, were the first batch to be transported. They arrived at their destination yesterday morning.
The translocation exercise is part of UWA’s objectives to diversify wildlife species and boost tourism in Lake Mburo National Park
The initiative is also aimed at controlling the population of giraffes in Murchison Falls National Park and move to different areas where they can feed and breed freely. Murchison falls park has 900 giraffes.
Introducing the giraffes in Lake Mburo will help diversify wildlife and consequently, attract tourists.
He said the country’s smallest national park has been without giraffe species since it was gazetted. Giraffe species at the park,became extinct about 50 years ago.
Mr Jossy Muhangi, UWA’s public relations manager, said ecological studies had been conducted before the relocation exercise to ensure the safety of the animals.
Lake Mburo is well endowed with shrubs and Acacia trees which are food for the giraffes.
UWA teamed up with the Kenya Wildlife Service to carry out the translocation since UWA lacked some of the transportation equipment.
The relocation process took about two weeks, where the giraffes were captured and taken to a monitoring place.
Here, four veterinary doctors monitored the strength and adaptability of the animals to travel.
A similar monitoring place has been constructed at Lake Mburo National Park where the giraffes are now being monitored before being released into the wild to start their new lives.
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