By Willy Chowoo
Deep inside Uganda’s national parks, a silent technological revolution is underway. Drones soar above tree canopies. GPS collars transmit signals from lions and elephants. AI-powered cameras and sensors in pipeline to scan for intruders. These aren’t scenes from a sci-fi film—they’re real tools now protecting Uganda’s most iconic wildlife.
For years, poaching, habitat loss, and human-wildlife conflict have threatened the survival of species like elephants, lions, rhinos, and giraffes. But conservationists with the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) are now turning to technology to change the game.
Between 2021 and 2023, the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) recovered 2,410 kilograms of ivory and 1,901 kilograms of pangolin scales. Additionally, they rescued 37 live pangolins and recovered 57 pangolin skins.
However, with the investment in technologies , like for habitats, these measures opened up previously closed habitats, making it easier to observe and track wildlife populations.
Uganda’s vast national parks stretch over thousands of square kilometers, making traditional monitoring methods costly and slow. As illegal wildlife trade surges, so does the need for smarter surveillance.
“We have seen an increase in poaching attempts, especially targeting elephants and pangolins,” says Bashir Hangi, UWA’s spokesperson. “Illegal wildlife trade remains a serious challenge, but technology is giving us new tools to fight back.”
The 2024 Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) report highlights the impact of intensified operations against illegal poaching and other unlawful activities in Uganda’s protected areas. As a result, UWA arrested 2,145 suspects and recovered 10,190 assorted wildlife and wildlife products.
Law enforcement teams also confiscated 30,578 poaching and trafficking implements, including 17 firearms, 13 magazines, and 174 rounds of ammunition. These were recovered from Murchison Falls Conservation Area (MFCA), Queen Elizabeth Conservation Area (QECA), Mount Elgon Conservation Area (MECA), Bwindi Mgahinga Conservation Area (BMCA), Gorilla Nest, and Kidepo Valley Conservation Area (KVCA).
The year saw a 35.2% increase in suspect arrests and a 27.7% rise in the recovery of poaching implements compared to the previous year, when 1,586 suspects were apprehended and 23,939 poaching tools were seized. However, the recovery of assorted wildlife and wildlife products declined by 11%, with 10,190 items seized compared to 11,448 in the 2021/2022 financial year
Bashir states that despite successes in curbing threats to wildlife, poachers are becoming increasingly sophisticated, making it insufficient to rely solely on foot patrols or community reports. “Technology complements traditional conservation methods by making monitoring faster, more efficient, and proactive rather than reactive,” he emphasizes.
Wire snares remain the most commonly used poaching devices across Uganda’s protected areas. For instance, between 2021 and 2023, park authorities recovered 30,369 wire snares, 2,731 pangas, and 21 guns used for poaching wildlife. Wildlife products are primarily transported by motorcycles, followed by bicycles and motor vehicles. During the same period, authorities intercepted 92 motorcycles, 33 bicycles, and 14 motor vehicles carrying illegally obtained wildlife products.
Drones: Eyes in the Sky
Drones have become essential in the fight to protect wildlife. In parks like Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth, drones patrol remote areas that are otherwise difficult to access.
The use of drones has facilitated aerial surveillance to track animal populations, detect illegal activities, and monitor habitat changes.
The application of technologies over the years have resulted in an increase in recorded animal sightings across most protected areas, which was attributed to improvements in monitoring accuracy, vegetation manipulation, and controlled burning activities.
“Drones enable us to survey vast areas within minutes,” explains Fredrick Kizza, a conservation manager at Murchison Falls. “When we suspect poachers are operating in a particular region, we deploy drones to scan the area before sending in rangers.”
According to Kizza, this approach has significantly improved efforts to apprehend illegal poachers.
The implementation of these systems led to a notable increase in recorded animal sightings across most protected areas. This improvement was largely due to enhanced monitoring accuracy, strategic vegetation management, and controlled burning efforts. These measures helped open up previously inaccessible habitats, making wildlife observation and tracking more effective.
Mr. Hangi Bashir affirmed that drones have been instrumental in detecting and intercepting poachers before they can set up traps, resulting in arrests and the recovery of illegal weapons.
“These interventions have played a crucial role in reducing wildlife crime and fostering improved human-wildlife coexistence,” he noted.
In Murchison Falls National Park, Bashir stated that drones have been instrumental in detecting and intercepting poachers before they can set up traps, resulting in arrests and the recovery of illegal weapons.
“These interventions have significantly contributed to reducing wildlife crime and enhancing human-wildlife coexistence,” he noted.
In the financial year 2023/2024, a total of 6,999 human-wildlife conflict incidents were reported across the country. Comparatively, this represents an 11% decrease from the 7,861 cases recorded in the financial year 2021/2022.
GPS Collars: Tracking Wildlife in Real-Time
Another powerful tool in UWA’s tech arsenal is the GPS collar. These devices, fitted on animals such as elephants, rhinos, and lions, send location data round-the-clock.
“If an elephant is moving too close to farmland, we can alert rangers immediately,” says Fredrick Kizza, a UWA Conservation manager at MFNP.
The use of GPS collars has greatly enhanced the ability to monitor lion movements, assess stress levels, and evaluate their responses to environmental changes. This has been particularly crucial in Murchison Falls National Park (MFNP), where increasing oil developments pose a growing concern.
According to the 2023-2024 UWA report, GPS collar tracking has revealed a continued decline in lion populations over the years. This underscores the urgent need for strengthened conservation measures to counter emerging threats and safeguard the long-term survival of this keystone species.
In the 1980s, Queen Elizabeth National Park was home to 400 lions. However, by 2022, that number had dwindled to just 39. At Murchison Falls National Park, lion populations ranged between 181 and 467 in the 2000s, but by 2022, only 220 remained. Similarly, Kidepo Valley National Park recorded between 35 and 60 lions during the same period, yet by 2022, the population had declined to just 23.
At Murchison Falls National Park alone, more than 200 animals have been collared. According to park authorities, only one animal per herd is fitted with a GPS collar. However, the uncollared animals are often involved in human-wildlife conflicts.
“We closely monitor the movements of collared animals and promptly alert our rangers if they begin to stray beyond designated areas,” notes Kizza.
“With GPS tracking, we don’t just react to threats—we prevent them, we can detect movement patterns, identify risks early, and respond in real time” adds Hangi. “This is the future of wildlife conservation.”
One other notable success comes from Queen Elizabeth National Park. According to Bashir, GPS collar data has been invaluable in monitoring elephants that frequently wander into community farms.
“With real-time tracking, we were able to alert rangers and communities early enough to guide the animals back before any damage occurred,” he explains.
Real-Time Monitoring and Artificial Intelligence
Beyond drones and GPS collars, Uganda is embracing real-time monitoring systems powered by artificial intelligence.
“We have started exploring AI-powered solutions, particularly for analyzing camera trap images and drone footage,” explains Bashir. He believes these tools significantly reduce the time required to process field data while improving the accuracy of identifying threats and specific wildlife species.
Murchison Falls National Park Conservation Manager, Fredrick Kizza, notes that they are actively studying various technological innovations to avoid falling victim to poachers who may attempt to exploit their systems. He believes AI-driven technologies will be essential in providing real-time information to enhance conservation efforts.
“We are looking to introduce ‘Bees Technology’ in the future, where drones emitting bee sounds will be deployed to deter animals spotted moving into community farmland,” Kizza adds.
To achieve this, the park authority is collaborating with partners to integrate real-time monitoring platforms that combine satellite data, GPS tracking, and patrol logs, enabling more informed decision-making.
“As technology continues to evolve, we are committed to adopting innovations that strengthen our ability to conserve wildlife effectively,” Bashir notes.
Dr. Tony Kidega, a veterinarian and conservationist, says that deploying drones and GPS collars in the parks is enhancing tourism.
“They help tourists spot animals such as elephants, lions, gorillas, and giraffes, which was not always possible before,” Dr. Kidega explains.
Challenges in the Digital Wilderness
While the shift to technology is revolutionizing wildlife protection, it comes with challenges. The initial investment in equipment, training, and maintenance can be substantial, and some protected areas remain remote with limited internet or mobile network coverage, making real-time monitoring difficult.
Despite this, Mr. Kizza emphasizes that although most of these technologies rely on internet connectivity, they remain committed to their adoption. “As a government, we are ready—we are embracing technology to enhance our conservation efforts and help sustain natural habitats,” Kizza added.
“We are just getting started,” says Hangi. “In the future, we plan to introduce AI-powered tracking and expand real-time monitoring across all parks.”
He says they also face occasional resistance from communities who may not fully understand the role of these technologies. But through continued sensitization, partnerships, and capacity building. “We’re working to overcome these obstacles and ensure these tools serve both conservation and community needs”.
Even so, UWA remains optimistic. Partnerships with global conservation groups are helping scale up efforts.
A High-Tech Future for Conservation
Uganda’s bold steps into tech-powered conservation are already paying off. Wildlife is being saved. Communities are being protected. And the country is becoming a model for others across Africa.
But the journey continues.
Saving Uganda’s wildlife will depend on sustained funding, continuous innovation, and community engagement. As long as the threats evolve, so must the tools to combat them.
Technology is enabling the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) to protect wildlife even in remote and hard-to-reach areas, significantly enhancing the effectiveness of ranger teams. “With tools like drones and GPS collars, we can detect movement patterns, identify risks early, and respond in real time,” says a UWA spokesperson.
Uganda’s ‘Eyes in the Wild’ are open—and watching.
