FIELD PROGRAMMES

Background:

Uganda covers just over 240 000km2 of Equatorial Africa. It is one of the most biologically diverse countries in Africa with much of the country's biodiversity concentrated in the forests to the west. Unfortunately, the country has suffered massive forest clearance through logging and agriculture during the past century and now the forests, which formerly covered 20% of the landmass now only cover 3%. Uganda's protected areas, which include forest reserves, wildlife reserves and national parks cover about 33 000kmsq, 14% of the country's area. There are approximately 710 forest reserves that are quite small, with an average of 21kmsq per site. The forest reserves represent close to 50% of the protected area land cover.

Chimpanzee populations are found in 22 different forest blocks along the western border of Uganda. Of these, six hold more than 75% of the total population of chimpanzees in Uganda. They are Budongo Forest Reserve, Bugoma Forest Reserve, Kibale National Park, Kasyoha-Kitomi Forest Reserve, Maramagambo Forest (inside Queen Elizabeth National Park) and Kalinzu Forest Reserve. These six forests collectively house and estimated 3000 chimpanzees. Remaining chimpanzees are found in small numbers in isolated forest pockets between these larger forest blocks.

For the time being JGI Uganda, is focusing our conservation efforts of chimpanzees in Uganda in these major forest habitats which are found in 18 political districts in Uganda.