On Monday 21st October 2019 the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) executive director Mr. Sam Mwandha handed over (UWA) flag to translocation overall head, senior Manager Veterinary service Dr. Patrick Atimedi to mark the flag off of the sixth giraffe translocation exercise.
The translocation was to see giraffes moved from the Northern Bank of Murchison falls national park, Uganda’s largest protected to Pian-Upe wildlife reserve located in the Northeastern part of Uganda and the second largest protected area in Uganda.
Uganda Wildlife Authority led the exercise with support from the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, Uganda Wildlife Education Center (UWEC) and Makerere University Veterinary School.
Murchison falls National Park is the largest park in Uganda located in the northwestern Uganda and known for sheltering large numbers of wildlife species including thousands of towers of giraffes. Giraffes translocation it’s not first time, in recent years giraffes were relocated from Murchison falls national park to Lake Mburo national park.
Pian Upe is another thrilling wildlife reserve in Uganda still virgin for tourist to discover, it’s an attractive for nature lover who in particular looking for tourist less crowded destinations.
Pian Upe is located in the northeastern Uganda along Kapchorwa road to Nakapiripiriti. It’s the only wildlife reserve which have varieties of wildlife species with potential to pull reasonable number of tourists.
Earlier this year in May, white Eared were sighted in the same reserve, this rill promises for feature tourism progress within the areas. among other wildlife that can be seen at Pian-Upe wildlife reserve include Elephants, Buffaloes, only place to sight cheetah, leopards, Zebras, oribis, impala.
Pian-Upe also nest about 300 bird species which can be sighted and these include karamoja apalis, kingfishers, starlings and shoe bill storks found in Lake Opeta, Hartlaub’s Turaco, Eastern Bronze-napped Pigeon, Lemon Dove, Dusky Turtle Dove, African Hill Babbler, Alpine Chat, Black-throated Wattle-eye, Mountain Yellow Warbler, Thick-billed Honey guide and Grey Cuckoo-Shrike among other sights.
It’s an amazing destination to explore on your adventure if combined with Mount Elgon climbing, Sipi falls trails and Pian-Upe wildlife reserve. Its uncommon trail of adventure but trying its unusual pleasant taste of the real wildness adventure.
Pian-Upe wildlife reserve the 2nd biggest protected area after Murchison falls national park, the reserve shields an area of 2043sqkm, 338 km/h about 7/8 hour drive from Kampala capital. It adjoins to Bokora Matheniko game reserve extending to the north and stretches to the foothills of Elgon Mountains in the south.
Pian-Upe was gazetted as Debasien animal sanctuary by 1958, after some times the reserves boundaries were threatened as government wanted to turn reserve into an agriculture project south of Girifi River. 1964 due to threats the government extended the reserve northwards and was renamed Pian-Upe Wildlife Reserve.
In 2003 was proposal to regazette Pian-Upe for growing fruits, however the project was destructed. Then the government had plans of upgrading the reserve to a national park and there more processes of restocking with many animals like recent impalas from Lake Mburo National Park.