Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust (VSPT) is pleased to announce the launch of a lion and large carnivore monitoring project, based at Kyambura Gorge Lodge in Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda. In partnership with the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), the project will establish an annual carnivore survey and create a shared research database. UWA staff and young Ugandans will be trained in scientific monitoring techniques. The project will also focus on community conservation education and livelihood development activities in local communities. Dr Aleksander Braczkowski is scientific director of the project and the field team is led by Bosco Atukwatse and Orin Cornille, two young scientists who have undertaken additional surveys with UWA in Murchison, Kidepo, and Toro Semliki. The 2023 survey will collect data on African lions, leopards and spotted hyenas over a 3-month period using remote camera traps and a network of field teams searching for lions using a search encounter technique.

Dr Aleksander Braczkowski, said “It is exciting to have a strong, science-based program for lion monitoring in Queen Elizabeth National Park that has the support of the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Our work focuses on educating the next generation of conservationists. We have over eight Uganda lion survey scouts gathering data. Our work is a tangible example of Uganda science capacity building in action”.

“Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust are delighted to partner with the Uganda Wildlife Authority to launch this important community conservation project to create a regular survey which will help to better understand the threats faced by these threatened and locally endangered species, as well as highlighting the impact of the conservation work being done to protect them” said Kevin James, Trustee of Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust.

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