The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has commenced the exercise of translocating 200 Kobs from Murchison Fall Conservation Area to Kidepo Valley Conservation Area.
The exercise, which started on 16th March, will see 30 males and 170 females Kobs translocated from Kabwoya Wildlife Reserve in Murchison Falls Conservation Area to Kidepo Valley National Park.
The translocation is aimed at re-enforcing / supplementing the Kob population in Kidepo Valley National Park to enhance breeding, genetic diversity and ecosystem balance.
The translocation exercise was flagged off by John Makombo, the Director of Conservation at UWA in Kabwoya Wildlife Reserve.
According to Makombo, the translocation has addressed one of UWA’s key strategic objective of the species, which is population restoration in places where they initially ranged to ensure their survival especially in the light of the current land use change and other developments in their current ranges.
“This exercise is key in the fulfilment of UWA’s mandate of protecting and conserving Uganda’s Wildlife resources, we are expanding the species range mindful of the land use change in the country,” he stated.
Sam Mwandha, the Executive Director at UWA said that the translocation will see the number of the Kob population increase and multiply faster in the park which will ensure their long-term survival.
“The current population of Kobs in Kidepo Valley National Park is not what we want, therefore we have to reinforce it by taking there more Kobs. Having Kobs in different parks will play a significant role in ensuring their long-term survival,” he said.
This is the second translocation of Kobs to Kidepo Valley National Park following the translocation of 110 Kobs in 2017.
The Kob population in the park has since increased and is estimated between 350- 400 animals following natural breeding in the last five years.
This year’s translocation exercise will see the Kob population in the park increase to six hundred individuals.