Uganda wildlife Education center
The Uganda Wildlife Education Centre is a world-class refuge center for animals and an educative center located in Entebbe City. The center was formerly known as the Entebbe Zoo, deriving its name from Entebbe town.
The Uganda Wildlife Education Centre is situated on the shores of Lake Victoria, covering an area of 72 acres of land. The center is an amazing location where you get to enjoy many species of animals in the proximity of Entebbe city, as it is just 11 kilometers, a 20-minute drive, from Entebbe International Airport and 433 kilometers, a 20 minute drive, from Kampala, the capital city of Uganda.
The Uganda wildlife education center administered and operated by the Ministry of Tourism, wildlife and antiquities is a prominent tourist destination, receiving over 2000 tourists each year.
The Uganda Wildlife Education Centre is the coordinating zoo for the zoos in East, Central and West Africa as mandated by the Pan African Association of Zoos and Aquaria (PAAZA).
The center is famous for being a home to the big five and the amazing primates, which are sheltered in caged locations in the wilderness. Animals like lions, leopards, buffalo, rhinos, baby elephants, giraffes, cheetahs, spotted hyenas, impalas, seals, and turtles can be seen in the center. In the forested hill area of the center you get to see primates like vervet monkeys, golden monkeys, De Brazza monkeys, chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, pata monkeys and olive baboons.
The center is also a perfect destination for bird viewing as it shelters over 120 bird species such as the rare shoebill, the famous African fish eagle, the Great Blue Turaco to Hammerkops, Giant Kingfisher the smallest sunbird, the ostrich, the African grey parrot, crested crane and many more. The Uganda Wildlife Education Centre is a home to reptiles such as Nile crocodiles, marsh terrapins, Gabon viper snakes, African rock python and many more.
The Uganda Wildlife Education Center consists of 500 plant species, which depict Uganda’s three ecosystems: the wetland, the savannah and the forest. It is in this vegetation where the animals live and some of these plants are herbs used to cure illness. The center’s ecosystems are more attributed to being situated on the shores of Lake Victoria; this has resulted in the center being flooded with migrant water birds and butterflies.
History of the Centre
The Uganda Wildlife Education Centre started as a reception center in 1952 by the British colonialists; it was started primarily to shelter animals that were orphans, injured, or confiscated from poachers and illegal trade.
At the time, the center was under the authority of the game department and in 1956 an animal orphanage was created purposely to raise orphaned animals received through the game department. As time went on, the collection of animals brought to the park became bigger, and at the same time the public had picked interest in the animals sheltered in this place.
This forced the British protectorate to declare the center a national zoo in 1962. This development resulted in bringing even non-indigenous species like bears and tigers to be kept in the zoo.
The national zoo successfully developed and carried out its operation even after the departure of the British as they granted Uganda her independence; sadly, Uganda as a nation faced political turmoil in 1970.
The turmoil greatly affected the national zoo as an institution as it received inadequate funds from the government; this resulted in the breakdown of the zoo’s infrastructure and the loss of important, viable animal species as the park authority can’t afford to run the institution.
The zoo remained in a bad state until the early 90s, when the government of Uganda realized that there was a need to establish an institution that would pioneer educating Ugandans about the importance of conserving the biodiversity in Uganda.
Because of the government’s efforts, the New York Zoological Society conducted a development study. The study recommended transforming the zoo into a facility for environmental education and tourism.
On 5th May 1994, the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre was established and since then, the center has thrived and become one of the most respected conservation establishments in Africa and the whole world because it has successfully reached its goal of educating Ugandans on the importance of conserving biodiversity, sheltering rescued injured, confiscated and orphaned animals, and also breeding endangered wildlife species into the wild.
Uganda wildlife education center has facilities which shelter different animal species and offer different fun-filled activities to the visitors of the park, such as
Museum
The Uganda Wildlife Education Center’s museum exhibits remains of different huge animals found in Uganda, such as lion skins, ivory, snakes and many more. Here you get to see portraits of the Uganda map, national parks, the big five and many more. These portraits have small notes of names and descriptions.
Craft shop
The craft shop sells handmade crafts and souvenirs to visitors at reasonable prices.
Children’s play ground
The center has a playground that kids use to play; it has bouncing castles, a swimming pool, and many more activities for kids.
Restaurant
The Uganda Wildlife Education Centre has a restaurant that sells foodstuffs and refreshing water.
Glass snake house
The Uganda Wildlife Education Center has a glass snake house that shelters different snake species, which visitors can closely see through the mirror.
Beach
The center has a shoreline on Lake Victoria where you can go for beach activities like swimming, walking on the beach, and resting.
When you visit the Uganda Wildlife Education Center, you will be welcomed by two huge giraffe monuments, which are a good spot to take pictures. As you walk in after clearing with the park’s offices, you will come across a craft shop where you can buy handmade crafts and souvenirs.
Your assigned tour guide will first take you to the center’s museum, where you will see and learn more about the prominent animals found in Uganda, as they are displayed (remains of these animals are displayed).
From the museum, you will proceed to the cages where animals are sheltered. The cages have platforms that enable you to see the animals clearly, with notes describing them.
