WATERWAYS PROJECT

With the help of the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation UCF has expanded its projects in the QECA region to benefit conservation and the communities through facilitating water borne law enforcement (anti poaching measures, policing of the bush meat trade, ivory tracking and illegal fishing), research and a community / tourism related water safety and rescue capability. The Albertine Rift is dominated by water courses, yet there is no ranger patrol boat or expertise for boat operations. The use of boats will have an enormous impact on the ability of law enforcement to reverse the enormous poaching problem.

The problem

IN QECA hippo poaching for meat not only continues at very high levels but is also the most frequent form of poaching. The hippopotamus was listed for the first time as a species threatened with extinction in the IUCN published ‘2006 Red List’. In the mid 1990’s crocodile were reported in QE for the very first time however their expansion across QE is being limited due to the enormous number of illegal fishing nets in Lakes George and Edward and in the Kazinga Channel. In addition, otters are no longer common place and once again it is suspected that illegal fishing nets are the cause.

In theory QECA as a Biosphere Reserve enjoys the cohabitation of people and wildlife. There are 11 fishing villages all of which connect to the regions main roads that pass straight through QE. With legal access across the park and now improved communications (mobile phones) poachers are able to monitor ranger movements along the roads and in their ranger posts.

A potential solution

With the ability for rangers to be deployed by boat not only do large distances not have to be driven (a minimum of 75 kilometres just to cross the Kazinga channel) but rangers can be deployed anywhere along a shore line, silently and without detection. In addition many poachers and wildlife traffickers are thought to be moving dried meat and animals completely unchallenged through the water ways where they then liaise with vehicles. By hampering this, the illegal activity will be forced to return to road and ‘land’ access where their passage is much more hazardous.

UCF together with National Lake Rescue Institute, a member of the International Lifeboat Federation, and Uganda Wildlife Authority have recently commissioned a boat station and patrol boat capability at Mweya, the UWA QECA HQ and main tourist centre for QECA.

Methodology

NLRI have developed the concept of using one 20ft redundant shipping container, reconfiguring it and adding a pitch roof for deployment as a lifeboat station. Following conversion of the container at their Lake Victoria base NLRI transport the container, with all the components necessary for the unit, to the site where it requires only water (to mix concrete foundations) and reassembly for it to be commissioned. The boat station comprises an administration office, workshop and crew changing facility in addition to a secure area for the 15’ aluminium patrol boat which is fully equipped for its proposed role.

NLRI provide a full training programme, over a three-day period, for the UWA rangers, which covers boat operation, maintenance, water safety and rescue procedures. The dedicated team of rangers then takes over the operational activities of the boat station.

In view of its relative simplicity the concept is ideal for replication at appropriate sites and UCF will be seeking further funding in the hope of expanding this project.