Uganda records worrisome drop in lion, elephant populations

• Uganda’s elephant population has dropped from 6,621 to 6,352, while lion numbers fell from 373 in 2020 to 291 in 2022/2023.

• Kidepo Valley National Park recorded the sharpest lion decline, with only 12 lions left, representing a 90.91 per cent drop in 13 years.

• Poaching, poisoning, illegal wildlife trade, habitat destruction and human-wildlife conflict remain the biggest threats to both species.

• UWA says some animals such as buffaloes, giraffes, zebras and rhinos are recovering due to stronger conservation efforts and better monitoring.

Uganda has recorded a decline in both lion and elephant populations, and authorities are warning that poaching, poisoning, habitat destruction and human-wildlife conflict continue to threaten some of the country’s most iconic species.

The latest State of Wildlife Resources Report 2026  by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) shows that while some animals such as buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, rhinos and antelopes are recovering, lions and elephants remain under pressure.

From East Africa’s top safari destination to decline

By the mid-1960s, Uganda was regarded as Africa’s leading safari destination, even surpassing Kenya and Tanzania in wildlife-based tourism.

The country remained East Africa’s top tourism destination until 1971, with wildlife tourism booming under the management of the Game Department and Uganda National Parks.

However, political instability and civil unrest between 1971 and 1985 triggered a major collapse.

Automatic weapons abandoned by retreating armies were turned on elephants and other wildlife, leading to widespread commercial poaching for ivory and bushmeat.

Elephant numbers crashed sharply. In Queen Elizabeth National Park, the population dropped from between 2,500 and 4,000 in the 1960s to just 150 by 1980. In Murchison Falls National Park, numbers fell from 12,000 to only 1,420.

The latest report estimates Uganda’s elephant population at 6,352 between 2023 and 2025, compared to 6,621 recorded between 2021 and 2023.

This represents a 4.06 per cent decline.

The largest elephant populations remain in Queen Elizabeth Protected Area, followed by Murchison Falls Protected Area.

The report says illegal wildlife use remains the biggest threat, especially poaching for bushmeat and ivory. Most poaching is carried out using wire snares, which often injure or kill animals indiscriminately.

However, Kibale National Park recorded positive growth in forest elephants, increasing from 566 in 2019 to 703 in 2025.

UWA Executive Director Dr James Musinguzi said elephant movements across borders also affect survey outcomes.

“EarthRanger data for elephants show a wide spread in transboundary movements into neighbouring countries due to natural migratory behaviour and landscape-level ecological dynamics,” he said.

The report also shows a serious decline in Uganda’s lion population.

Lion numbers dropped from 373 in 2020 to 291 in the 2022/2023 census, representing a 21.99 per cent decline in just over three years.

Lions are now mainly found in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park and Murchison Falls National Park.

On Uganda’s National Red List, lions are classified as Critically Endangered, while the global IUCN Red List places them under the Vulnerable category.

The decline has been most severe in Kidepo Valley National Park, where only 12 lions were recorded between August and December 2022, marking a 90.91 per cent decline in 13 years.

In Queen Elizabeth National Park, the decline rate over five years stands at 45.07 per cent.

Poisoning linked to livestock predation remains one of the biggest threats to lions.

In December 2025 alone, four lions were poisoned in Queen Elizabeth Conservation Area in what UWA described as retaliatory killings by communities protecting livestock.

Other threats include illegal trade in lion body parts, demand for lion skins for cultural purposes, snaring and habitat destruction caused by encroachment and invasive plant species.

The report notes that poverty and limited livelihood alternatives continue to push communities toward illegal wildlife use.

Some species recovering despite pressure

Despite the decline in lions and elephants, UWA says several other species remain on a positive trend.

These include kob, impala, buffalo, zebra, eland, topi, giraffe, waterbuck, hartebeests, hippopotamus and southern white rhinoceros.

Dr Musinguzi said improved patrols, species restocking, ranger deployment, community cooperation and the use of technology such as SMART monitoring systems, camera traps and aerial surveys have supported recovery.

Tourism Minister Tom Butime warned that wildlife remains under growing pressure from human activity.

“Habitat loss and fragmentation, illegal wildlife use, invasive alien and problematic native plant species proliferation, climate-induced extremes, and increasing human-wildlife conflict have continued to pose serious challenges,” he said.

He warned that these threats could affect not only wildlife but also tourism income, food security and Uganda’s long-term economic resilience.