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Uganda: Uganda's Migratory Bird Sites Threatened
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The Monitor (Kampala)
14 May 2008
Posted to the web 14 May 2008
Olandason Wanyama
Kampala
As Ugandans joined the rest of the world to celebrate the World Migratory Bird Day last Saturday, environmentalists expressed concern over the rate at which bird sites along Uganda's Lakes shores are being degraded.
Environmentalists said the most affected bird sites are on Lakes Victoria, Albert and Kyoga among others and if the government doesn't come out immediately to protect them, the migratory bird sites would be no more.
"The continued encroachment on the shoreline with a lot of human activity has left all bird sites in the country at the risk of extinction due to ruthless incursions by encroachers," the Nature Uganda Deputy Chief executive Director, Mr Ambrose Mugisha said, adding that in future, daughters and sons of this country will not have chances to look at different species of migratory birds that fly from Europe, America and the rest of the world to Uganda.
Migratory birds are different species of birds that fly distances of thousands of kilometres in order to find suitable conditions; habitats for feeding, breeding and raising their young.
When conditions in Europe become difficult due to low temperature, birds migrate to Africa or other regions where the conditions may be less rough.
While officiating at the World Bird Migratory Day held at Lutembe Beach on Saturday (May 10), Mugisha said that millions of birds are threatened by natural events and that's why the country was joining the world to celebrate and launch a fight to protect the endangered nature. Mugisha cited flower farms surrounding Lutembe where soils have been excavated and deposited in the lake.
He said dangerous chemicals from the flower farms find their way into the water killing aquatic life. "All these mess up the breeding areas of the migratory birds," he said.
Mugisha said the encroachment for settlement at the site to pave way for construction of residences has also affected the green in the area and now the shores are becoming arid.
"The ecosystem in Uganda is at stake due to the rampart devastation of breeding places that has seen birds and animals flee to other countries where there's less persecution," he said. Mugisha said the loss of the habitats due to pollution or exploitation caused by encroachment is also a main issue threatening migrating birds.
The birds look for suitable breeding, wintering grounds as well as stopover sites along the flyways. He said the loss of Lutembe site used by the birds during their annual cycle could have a dramatic impact on bird's survival opportunities. Mugisha of Nature Uganda joins Mr Johnson Masereka, a chief warden at Mt Elgon National park in fighting against the rapid depletion of wild life.
Mr Masereka said the rapid depletion of wildlife, trees and the accompanying degradation of land at Mt Elgon National Park reflects the "carelessness and hostility" of the people living around the park.
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He said whereas the government puts a lot of importance on conservation of wildlife at the park for ecological balance and to earn foreign exchange, the people have not been sensitised on these benefits.
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