UWA reclaims 1,500 hectares of vegetation at Murchison Falls Conservation Area
GULU, December 11, 2025 — The Uganda Wildlife Authority [UWA] says it has restored 1,500 hectares of wildlife vegetation in the Murchison Falls Conservation Area after it was overtaken by invasive species.
Among the invasive species are Borassus palm trees, which were growing across the conservation area over the past 20 years, reducing grassland essential for grazing wildlife.
Incidentally, the Borassus palm is propagated by elephants, which eat the fruit and later excrete the seeds.
Felix Kizza, Conservation Warden at Murchison Falls Conservation Area, said in a recent interview: “If left to grow unchecked, the invasive species can turn the game park into woodland, which is not conducive for wildlife such as elephants.”
Kizza explained that the Borassus palm takes about five years to sprout.
“You will find that for the Borassus palm to grow to that level, the seed might have stayed underground for about five years. But because of favourable climatic conditions, they can all germinate at the same time,” he said.
He noted that the limited number of elephants in the park has allowed the invasive species to grow without interruption.
“Elephants normally eat the pith, the soft part of the palm. They pull it out and eat it, but there are now too few elephants to consume all of it, and that is why I am carrying out a sample study to see if I can manipulate the vegetation,” he added.
According to UWA, there are more than 1,500 elephants distributed across the savannah plains, riverbanks and forested patches of Murchison Falls National Park.
Kizza said the decision to manipulate the vegetation was guided by technical research into the seeding and rooting systems of the Borassus palm.
“We understand the growth pattern of this vegetation. I know the rooting system and the seeding rate. I know that if I uproot this Borassus plant when it is young, it will not continue growing. But if I allow it to grow into a tree and produce seeds, I will achieve nothing,” he said, adding that they aim to restore at least 10,000 hectares of vegetation in the near future.
He explained that reducing woodland not only helps reclaim grassland but also deters poachers who use dense vegetation to hide snares and traps.
“Poachers use the woodlands to conceal snares and traps. When animals enter these areas to seek shade, they get trapped or injured,” he said.
Statistics show that 948 wire snares and 480 metal traps were recovered inside Murchison Falls National Park during the 2023/2024 financial year.
Tourism remains one of Uganda’s top revenue earners, with Murchison Falls National Park alone generating Shs 18 billion in the 2023/2024 financial year.
Located in north-western Uganda, Murchison Falls National Park covers 3,893 square kilometres.
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