Uganda was previously home to three of the large cats in the whole world until TIgers which are nonindigenous Uganda cats found their way to Uganda courtesy of the Uganda wildlife conservation education center in Entebbe. Here are the four big cats Uganda has to offer and where to find them.
1. Tigers
In the 1960s, formerly Entebbe Zoo, the current Uganda wildlife conservation education center used to host non-indigenous wildlife species including but not limited to Tigers, Bears among several other species. Unfortunately, due to the political instabilities that arose after Uganda’s independence, most of the wildlife was lost.
On the 25th of November 2020, Uganda wildlife conservation education center Entebbe unveiled a pair of tigers after over 50 years since their non-existence in Uganda. Today you can visit Uganda’s wildlife conservation education center in Entebbe (UWEC) to spot the Tigers all year long. Until now, UWEC remains the only place where you can find Tigers in Uganda
2. Lions
Lions are some of Uganda’s most treasured cats in Uganda. This is partly because, in East Africa, Queen Elizabeth national park is one of the two savannah national parks where you can find the tree-climbing lions in East Africa.
Other locations in Uganda where you can spot lions in the wild include; Kidepo valley national park, and Murchison falls national park. Lake Mburo national park used to have some lions but it is believed by many that they are no longer exist in the same park.
Lions can also be found in conservation areas including but not limited to Uganda wildlife conservation education center, CTC conservation center Uganda among other locations.
3. Leopards
Leopards are some of the rare cats to spot in Uganda. They are also available in both Uganda’s savannah national parks and conservation sanctuaries. Though it is very easy to see lions compared to leopards, the leopards are more distributed in several national parks than the lions.
Leopards can be found in Murchison falls national park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kidepo valley national park, Mountain Elgon National Park, Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve, and Lake Mburo National park. However there are three national parks that are highly recommended for leopards; Murchison falls national park, Kidepo valley national park, and Queen Elizabeth national park
Uganda wildlife conservation education center Entebbe is also one of the places where you can encounter a leopard. They apparently have one leopard known as Vincent.
4. Cheetah
Cheetahs are some of the cats that are often mistaken for Leopards. They are also the fastest land animals in the whole world.
The fastest beasts in the whole world can be spotted in Kidepo valley national park and Pian Upe game reserve. Cheetahs are also not easy to spot in wild but for better chances of spotting cheetahs in the wild; Kidepo valley national park is highly recommended.
Cheetahs can also be found at the Uganda wildlife conservation education center in Entebbe.