The articles will tell you, among other things, that the only current hunting opportunity is on a 50-square-kilometer area along the south side of Lake Mburo National Park in the far southern end of the country. The hunting operator is Rogers Matama of Game Trails Uganda, (rmatama@yahoo.com). Animals available include buffalo and various plains game species such as Lelwel hartebeest, Ugandan kob, oribi, topi, zebra, waterbuck, reedbuck and bushbuck. Importantly, sitatunga (including the much-sought-after Sesse Island sitatunga) is not on license.
All of this is a roundabout way of telling you we just got in touch with the head of Ugandan Wildlife Authority, Dr. Arthur R. Mugisha (arthur.mugisha@uwa.or.ug), and asked him if there were any plans to expand hunting from the well-established base around Lake Mburo. After all, the Lake Mburo hunting program has been going now for more than two years, apparently providing mostly European clients reasonably successful safaris. Here are the two replies we got from Dr. Mugisha - transcribed word for word so you will know as much as we do about the prospects for hunting in Uganda:
"Hunting in Uganda is still on a pilot basis. We have not expanded it yet. We shall be guided by the results of this pilot exercise to advise government on whether or not to lift the general ban on hunting in the country. I hope this information helps you...."
Asked in a follow-up e-mail if he could give any indication when new steps might be taken to expand hunting,........(continued)
