Wildlife Centres

Uganda Wildlife Education Centre

Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC), set on a 72 acres piece of land, is located in Entebbe Town on the shores of Lake Victoria. The centre was established in 1952. With over 400 indigenous wild animals, over 500 plant species and over 250 bird species in a natural setting that depicts three of Uganda’s ecosystems that is the savannah, forest and wetland.

Most of the animals at UWEC have been rescued from smugglers, poachers or the community. Many are released into the wild after a successful rehabilitation period, while others are given a new home for education purposes or due to loss of habitat in the wild which reduces their chances of survival.

Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch is located in Nakasongola district, is the proud home of the only wild rhinos in Uganda. The Rhino re-introduction project is a project of Rhino Fund Uganda and Uganda Wildlife Authority.

The Rhino Sanctuary is located 176km north of Kampala on the Gulu highway towards Murchison Falls National Park.

Presently the sanctuary is home to twenty-four (24) southern white rhinos. The sanctuary has become increasingly popular with tourists; for Rhino Trekking, Bird watching, plus much more.

Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary

Ngamba Island, home to 49 orphaned and confiscated chimps is part of the Koome group of islands located in Lake Victoria (which also includes Kiimi, Nsazi, Koome, Bulago and Damba Islands). Ngamba Island is approximately 23 km south-east of Entebbe, which lies on the mainland at 0.06’S, 32.39’E. It consists of approximately 100 acres, of which 95 acres is forested and separated from the human camp by an electric fence. The northern part of the island is generally flat, rising gently to an altitude of approximately 3800 feet above sea level to the south. The island is largely forested with gaps of grassland covering approximately 10% of the island.

A trail system was cut just prior to the chimpanzees’ arrival in October 1998. Trails span from east to west and north to south creating 50 x 50m blocks. Ngamba Island provides an excellent secondary forest habitat for the chimpanzees and other wildlife species including fruit bats, spiders, fish eagles, otters, and monitor lizards.

Despite the initial trauma, chimps living at Ngamba have a safe and semi-natural environment in which to recover and eventually thrive over their long lives of up to 60 years.

Kyahugye Island

Run by Lake Bunyonyi Eco Resort, this 35-acre island is worth a visit if you want to see to wildlife such as zebra, waterbuck, ipala and kob up close. All were brought here from Lake Mburo National Park.

Uganda Reptiles Village

Uganda Reptile Village off Kampala-Entebbe Highway at Abaita Ababiri.  It is on one hectare of land just 4 km off the Entebbe-Kampala Highway. There are over 20 reptile species on display and over 50 reptiles in total.

Started in 2003, the Uganda Reptile has over 20 different species on display ranging from cobras, slangs, skinks, monitor lizards, tortoises and the most poisonous snake in Africa the Baboon Viper. One enclosure is an open basin, as the species hosted there are non-climbing. Another basin is home for four different species of tortoises.