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History of UWEC |
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The Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) was opened in 1952 by the
colonial government as a reception center for wild animals that were
found as casualties (sick, injured, orphaned or/and confiscated from
illegal trade). Under the authority of the Game Department, an animal
orphanage was created in 1956, to hand raise the orphaned animals
received through the Game Department. With time, this collection became
bigger, generating a great interest from the public in the animals. This
then prompted the creation and development of a National Zoo in 1962, in
which even non-indigenous species like bears and tigers were kept.
Unfortunately, the
political turmoil in the 1970’s and inadequate government funding led to
serious breakdown of infrastructure and loss of valuable animals. It
continued run down until the early 90′s when the government of Uganda
recognized the need to set up an institution that would provide
leadership in educating Ugandans about the benefits of conserving the
country’s biodiversity. A development study was then done by the New
York Zoological society, which recommended that the Zoo be transformed
into a facility for environmental education and tourism, one of the
kingpins of the recovery process that the country was going through.
On May 5, 1994 Uganda
Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) was born and has since grown to be one
of the most respected conservation education institutions in Africa and
beyond, for successfully carrying out its mandates to educate Ugandans
on the importance of conserving the country’s biodiversity, to rescue
and rehabilitate injured, orphaned and/or confiscated wildlife and to
breed endangered wildlife species in captivity with an aim of
re-introducing them back in the wild.
UWEC is under the
umbrella of the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities and is
recognized as a true success story and model institution for others to
follow. The centre’s strategic location on the shores of Lake Victoria,
its rich biodiversity consisting of birds, butterflies and other
wildlife species makes it an attractive venue for education and tourism
for leisure.
Source: official web of
UWEC (2010)
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