Uganda joins in the fight against illegal Wildlife Trade

Uganda joins the rest of the world to celebrate the world environment day which is celebrated on 5^th June every year. The theme for this year is “Go wild for life” encouraging all people around the world to join the zero tolerance for the illegal wildlife trade. The most targeted animals’ species in this illegal wildlife trade are elephants, rhinos, chimpanzees and gorillas. And as a result many of these species have been killed by poachers for their valuables which are traded across Africa and sold on International black markets like China, Japan and Vietnam. The ivory poached from elephants and rhinos are used to manufacture electrical appliances, buttons, Scottish bagpipes, pianos and organ keys. Rhino meat and primate meat are believed to be medicinal.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) 170 tones of ivory were estimated to be illegally exported out of Africa between 2009 and 2014. About 3,000 great apes and 1,338 rhinos are being lost from the world each year according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). In Uganda these wildlife animals which are being killed or smuggled out are among the major attractions that bring in tourists from overseas to visit them in either the national parks like Murchison falls, Queen Elizabeth National park . The gorillas can be observed in Bwindi Impenetrable National park during the gorilla trekking adventure in the forest.

All Ugandans have been urged to preach the gospel of peaceful co-existence with wildlife although most people have ignored that .According to National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) 95% of Ugandans are environmentally aware but only 16% are responsive.