In Genesis 1:2, God created great creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abound according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good; then the Lord took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to tend and keep it.
Based on the above, everybody has the natural mandate from God to enjoy, preserve, and protect nature and all its beauty.
On March 3, 2023, Uganda joined the rest of the world to celebrate World Wildlife Day under the theme “Partnerships for Wildlife Conservation.”
However, the national celebrations that took place at King George Stadium in Tororo District should be an alarm to the Ugandan citizenry to stand in position as established by the Uganda wildlife policy.
The policy (2014) recognises wildlife as an important resource for environmental education for people of all ages. And section 0 mandates the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) to disseminate information and promote public education and awareness of wildlife conservation and management.
Since 2015, when Uganda joined the rest of the world to celebrate World Wildlife Day every March 3, many wildlife conservationists, not only from Uganda but from other parts of the world, have made revelations about why it’s imperative to conserve wildlife.
While speaking on local television, Sam Mwandah, the Executive Director of the Uganda Wildlife Authority, revealed that if we harness and protect wildlife, we will be able to contribute to the country’s economy in a much bigger way.
“And as we celebrate this day, let us appreciate that from the smallest insects to the largest mammals, every species has a unique value in our ecosystem,” he said.
Lilly Ajarova, CEO of the Uganda Tourism Board, reminded Ugandans of the need to work together to enhance their relationship with nature, stating that they should remember the threats wildlife face from habitat loss, poaching, and climate change.