Where to Find Elephants in Uganda
Where to Find Elephants in Uganda
Where to Find Elephants on a safari in Uganda. Elephants are arguably the second icon of the African safari, after the Lion of course. The biggest land mammal is unmistakable in the African bush; a gigantic dark grey structure with pillar-like legs, large ears, and a long trunk, gracefully strolling through the plains is one of the most beautiful sights of the safari. Other than the intriguing structure of the elephant that you can’t get enough of, there is so much to learn about the elephant and its critical importance to the environment.
For example, many regard the elephant as the chief architect of the savanna. Its constant felling of trees prevents the growth of the forest. This allows for the maintenance of a savannah where other herbivores and cats can flourish. You may also want to see the Elephant simply because it is a member of the famed “Big Five”. The elephant is therefore one of the animals to not miss on the safari. Uganda is one of the places that still has a healthy population of elephants.
Elephant species in Uganda
Two species of elephants are present in Uganda. These are; the African bush elephant (or African savannah elephant), and the Forest elephant. The African bush elephant is the most prominent elephant species in Uganda. You can find this species of elephant in several parks across Uganda. The forest elephant is a rare one to find and inhabits some of the forest parks in Uganda. These include Bwindi forest, Kibale forest, Rwenzori montane forests, and so on. The forest elephant presence in Uganda has however been refuted by some who claim these elephants in the forest are not necessarily forest elephant species but simply remnants of the African bush elephant.
What is the population of elephants in Uganda?
Uganda is one of the few places in Africa where the elephant population has had a steady increase recently. As of 2020, the population of elephants in Uganda was put at 7975. This recorded an increase from 5808 in 2017 which was also an increase from 5730 individuals in 2014. This is according to the Uganda Wildlife Authority, an organization charged with managing the parks in Uganda.
Places to See Elephants on a Safari in Uganda
Queen Elizabeth National Park
Where to Find Elephants in Uganda- The Queen Elizabeth Conservation area. This area includes Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kyambura Wildlife Reserve, and Kigezi Wildlife Reserve. It has the biggest population of elephants in Uganda. One of the last censuses carried out in 2018 put the figure to 3953 elephants. On a good day, you will have the best elephant experience in Queen Elizabeth National Park. I say on a good day because this park links with the Virunga National Park of the neighboring DR Congo. Hence, there are seasonal movements of herds of elephants from one park to the other.
Nevertheless, Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of the best places to see elephants in Uganda. The Kasenyi plains, the Mweya peninsula, and the remote Ishasha plains near the Congo are areas where you won’t miss an elephant sighting while on a safari drive. For even better sightings of elephants, the Kazinga Channel offers up-close views while on a boat cruise safari. This is because the elephants come to quench their thirst and cool off the afternoon heat. The Kazinga Channel boat cruise offers some of the closest encounters with the elephants. You can see them closer while on the boat without compromising your safety.
Murchison Falls National Park
Where to Find Elephants in Uganda- Murchison Falls National Park. As Uganda’s biggest park, it is another place in Uganda that will give you wonderful sightings of elephants in Uganda. The population of elephants in the conservation area (which includes the park and surrounding reserves) as of 2020 was 2900. You can best see Elephants in Murchison Falls National Park on the safari drive in the savannah. This is on the northern bank of the River Nile. The afternoon boat cruise on the Nile River also offers great views of the elephants. You see them along the river bank where they come to drink and cool off.
Kidepo Valley National Park
The remote Karamoja plains in the Kidepo Valley National Park host a relatively small population of elephants. The census of 2019 indicated that there were 295. This is in addition to the incredible herds of buffalo for which the park is famous. Kidepo is an incredibly beautiful safari destination in the northeastern corner of Uganda, way off the popular tourist circuit. Given the long distance to the park and the small elephant population, maybe you should travel to Kidepo if you are looking for more than just elephants.
Karenga Community Wildlife Area
Karenga Community Wildlife Area is an extension of Kidepo Valley National Park. The wildlife area has a population of 351 elephants in 2019. Elephants tend to migrate between Kidepo and Karenga. This is sometimes the reason for the few elephants in Kidepo National Park.
Kibale National Park
Kibale Forest National Park, a famous primate capital is mostly popular for chimpanzee trekking. It is one of the forests you easily come by elephants too. The last elephant census of 2019 put the population of elephants in Kibale National Park at 566 individuals. This is quite impressive for a park with mostly forests. However since activities in Kibale forest take place on foot, it’s never safe to meet the elephant along your trail. Therefore you do not go looking for elephants in Kibale forest. However, you stand a chance of seeing them during the activities in the forest.
Bwindi Forest National Park
Bwindi forest has elephants that are thought to be forest elephants. The forest is popular for gorilla trekking adventures. Along your trek to see gorillas, you may bump into a lone elephant or see traces of elephants. Such traces include footprints, dung, and fallen trees. The last census of elephants in 2019 put the elephant population at 106 individuals.
Rwenzori Mountains National Park
The Rwenzori mountain ranges varied habitats including a forest that harbors among other wildlife elephants. The Rwenzoris have a tiny population of elephants that the census carried out in 2019 puts at just 13 individuals. The elephants in the Rwenzoris have been the most vulnerable due to the long insurgencies in the region that rendered the park hard to protect thus exposing it to a lot of poaching. You therefore may be lucky to spot an elephant on the hiking trip in the Rwenzori.
